Driving access to data across Latin America and the Caribbean

In 2024, CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean started publishing IATI data. By joining the IATI community, and publishing their data using the IATI Standard, CAF is showcasing how cooperation among regional partners can drive growth and develop location solutions that accelerate progress towards shared development goals.

CAF’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all in Latin America and the Caribbean by promoting sustainable development and regional integration. The bank offers advice and financial support to public and private sectors of its shareholder countries, including 21 countries from across Latin America and the Caribbean – Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.

"CAF is showcasing how cooperation among regional partners can drive growth and develop location solutions that accelerate progress towards shared development goals."

In 2023, the bank designed its first Access to Information and Institutional Transparency Program. The goal of this program is to advance a culture of openness and strengthen public trust in the bank's actions. As part of the program, the bank wanted to start sharing information about their resources using the IATI Standard, making it easier to find, access and use that data to improve outcomes.

CAF’s approach to publishing their data shows the power of collaboration. The bank brought together a team to support their IATI publication, including members from the General Secretariat, the business units, the IT Unit, the Strategic Communications Unit and the Corporate Risk Unit to ensure a joined up approach to publishing their data. This approach enabled CAF to invest internally in their knowledge of the IATI Standard, helping them to establish a sustainable and scalable way to publish their data.

"Being a member of IATI is evidence of CAF’s dedication to advancing a culture of openness and strengthening public trust in all our actions." – Alejandra Claros Borda, Secretary-General of CAF

The IATI Secretariat supported CAF to make sure the data they were publishing met the IATI Standard. This support included help modelling their data for publication, using tools such as the IATI Validator to assess the data quality, and refining their method to make sure CAF could regularly and consistently publish high quality data.

Alejandra Claros Borda, Secretary-General of CAF, said “Being a member of IATI is evidence of CAF’s dedication to advancing a culture of openness and strengthening public trust in all our actions. Thanks to efforts to promote transparency, in addition to being accountable to our Governing Bodies and citizens, we also promote an environment where the final beneficiaries can have a participation and voice in the projects we finance”.

By sharing their data openly using the IATI Standard, CAF is demonstrating how accessible, high-quality data can strengthen regional cooperation to drive more effective development outcomes. This data will help CAF to build trust, improve coordination and ultimately deliver better outcomes for the communities CAF serves.