Latin America and the Caribbean face a significant infrastructure gap that threatens progress toward sustainable development, climate resilience, and inclusive growth. In the transport sector, this gap also affects road safety, as inadequate or aging infrastructure contributes to higher traffic risks. The Sevilla Commitment, adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, underscores the urgency of mobilizing innovative financing and strengthening governance to close this gap and accelerate SDG implementation. PPPs are a key instrument to attract private investment and deliver high quality infrastructure aligned with national priorities and the SDGs. However, many countries in the region still face challenges such as limited institutional capacity, fragmented legal frameworks, and insufficient project preparation resources. These constraints hinder the ability to structure bankable projects that balance fiscal responsibility with social and environmental objectives. 

To address these challenges, ECLAC and other UN Regional Commissions are working to strengthen national PPP programmes and policies, providing tools and capacity-building initiatives to improve governance, transparency, and sustainability. This debate will offer a platform for countries and experts to share experiences, highlight policy innovations, and identify priority areas for technical assistance, while exploring how regional collaboration and UN standards can support resilient PPP frameworks that deliver long-term value for people and the planet.

Key questions: (i) What are the main obstacles in Latin America and the Caribbean to deliver sustainable, SDG-aligned PPPs, including in sectors such as safe and resilient transport? (ii) What specific capacity-building priorities are most urgent to strengthen the PPP cycle (from project preparation to contract management)? (iii) How are UN Regional Commissions’ tools and programmes supporting countries to strengthen PPP governance and implementation? 

Expected outcomes: (i) Clearer understanding of priority policy reforms and capacity-building needs to strengthen national PPP programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean; (ii) Identification of practical tools and collaborative approaches to improve project preparation, governance, and sustainability in PPP frameworks across the region. 

Moderator: Ms. Rose-Lourdes Elysée, Member of the Bureau of the UNECE Working Party on PPPs (Haiti) 

Introductory remarks: Ms. Miryam Saade Hazin, ECLAC 

Panellists (in alphabetical order): 

• Mr. Ancor Aleman, Lead Specialist in Public-Private Partnerships, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) 
• Ms. Izalia López, Deputy Director for Promotion, General Directorate of Public-Private Partnerships, Dominican Republic 
• Mr. Mario Maza, Director, Advisory and Infrastructure Finance, ASEVI 
• Mr. Eduardo Tavares, National Secretary for Funds and Financial Instruments, Ministry of Integration and Regional Development, Brazil 
• Mr. Marcos Velásquez, President, Superintendence of Public-Private Partnerships of Honduras (SAPP)