IDB Group expands Uruguay support to $5 billion under new 2026-2030 country strategy

The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) plans to expand its support to Uruguay to $5 billion for 2026-2030 under a new Country Strategy built on three pillars: accelerating investment through innovation and competitiveness, strengthening citizen security and public well-being, and improving mobility and public services, according to a press release. The strategy was launched by IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn and President of Uruguay Yamandú Orsi during a meeting in Montevideo. The announcement marks a new chapter in the Group’s partnership with the country. It combines sovereign financing, private-sector support, and technical cooperation. This year, the IDB Group expects to provide a record $1.65 billion in financing, more than three times the amount approved last year.

The Country Strategy was recently approved and jointly developed with the Uruguayan government. It envisions nearly $5 billion in investments, combining financing for the public sector, businesses, and innovation. That figure exceeds the original projection of $4.2 billion. During his visit, President Goldfajn also met with Minister of Economy and Finance Gabriel Oddone and Minister of the Interior Carlos Negro. The agenda included the event “Uruguay as a Regional Innovation Platform: Results, Challenges, and Opportunities” and a meeting with more than 100 business leaders.

Under the first pillar, a $20 million financing agreement was signed on Monday for Uruguay’s Internationalization Promotion Program. Plans also include a Bioeconomy and Agri-Food Innovation Programme, and negotiations are under way for a new policy-based program tied to the European Union-Mercosur Agreement and Uruguay’s rapprochement with the OECD. The total for this pillar amounts to $400 million. IDB Lab currently has a portfolio of 75 active operations in Uruguay. The IDB is also working with the Central Bank (BCU) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) to develop capital markets.

On citizen security, a $25 million operation was signed under a $200 million credit line to improve the prison system, strengthen the National Police, and support police training. A new $150 million program will back the National Public Security Plan and the Comprehensive Citizen Security Program II, bringing total security support to $350 million. In mobility, the IDB approved a $70 million operation in June, is preparing a $200 million operation for Montevideo’s metropolitan transportation, and is advancing $51 million for water security and about $80 million for electricity networks. “Uruguay has a unique opportunity to transform its institutional and macroeconomic stability into a platform for growth, greater well-being, and innovation,” said Goldfajn. He added that the IDB Group is ready to support this new phase with a stronger focus on impact.

The roadmap consolidates the IDB Group’s long-standing partnership with Uruguay across public and private sectors. It aligns sovereign lending, private-sector operations through IDB Invest, and innovation support through IDB Lab. Together, these instruments underpin the $5 billion envelope for 2026-2030. The plan targets competitiveness, security, and public services as shared priorities with the government. It sets the framework for the Group’s engagement with Uruguay over the next five years.