The top priorities of IDB’s new head

The new head of the IDB, Ilan Goldfajn, has set out three areas as priorities for his tenure. 

These are social issues, climate change, and physical and digital infrastructure.

“My vision is to build on the bank’s legacy to ensure that the IDB is the most important multilateral development institution for Latin America and the Caribbean. We must be the region’s most trusted partner. A center for expertise and knowledge. A beacon of innovative solutions to our region’s challenges," said Goldfajn in his inaugural speech as IDB president. 

Goldfajn said social issues include the combat against poverty, inequality, health care and food insecurity.

Regarding climate change, IDB will strive to make it easier to invest in climate mitigation and adaptation, and step up its efforts to help countries meet their Paris Agreement goals, he said.

Goldfajn said the third priority will be investing more in sustainable physical and digital infrastructure to boost regional integration. In 2008-17, Latin America and the Caribbean invested only 2.8% of GDP in infrastructure, half the percentage of East Asian and Pacific countries, according to IDB.

A former president of Brazil’s central bank, Goldfajn replaced Mauricio Claver-Carone who was removed in September for violating IDB's ethics code.