Urban Development in Latin America and the Caribbean

The World Bank's urban development strategy in Latin America and the Caribbean is centered on reducing urban poverty. It is essential, however, that urban poverty be understood within the broader framework of regional urban sector issues including weak competitiveness of local economies, undeveloped land and housing markets, the poor brown environment, high levels of crime and violence, insecurity to disasters and calamites, and issues of government decentralization.

 

Urban sector activities are thus focused on six areas of intervention:

 

1. Local Economic Development, including Sustainable Tourism: 

 

- Building up economic capacity of a local area to improve its economic future and the quality of life for its citizens.

- Promoting development, building environmental sustainability, fostering social responsibility and preserving cultural heritage.

 

2. Infrastructure and Urban Environment:

- Stabilizing urban environments that include: programmatic loans based on the Municipal development model; and financing institutional development and local investments to improve the urban environment. 

 

3. Housing and Development:  

 

- Providing investment, technical assistance and analytical work to support overall market development and enable markets to better respond to the needs of housing consumers, producers, financial institutions, local governments and the central government.

 

4. Urban Governance and Management:  

 

- Strengthening local government capacity to assume increased administrative, planning, management and financial responsibilities while increasing government accountability and transparency. 

 

5. Slum Upgrading, Community Development and Crime and Violence Prevention:

 

- Striving to make towns and cities, and especially inner-city and slum areas, more livable and economically productive by providing basic services and infrastructure.

- Strengthening community and government capacity in crime prevention by using effective tools to train and equip municipalities

 

6. Disaster Risk Management: 

 

- Providing assistance to prepare for and recover from disasters and calamities