The Latin America Investment Facility (LAIF) is one of the European Union’s regional blending facilities, aiming to mobilize funding for development projects by combining EU grants with financial resources from European and regional financial institutions, governments and the private sector.

The purpose of LAIF is to help Latin American countries finance projects in key sectors that are essential for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, such as energy, environment, water, transport, social services, and support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

LAIF has three main interconnected and mutually reinforcing strategic objectives:

• Improving the quality of infrastructure in Latin American countries, including energy efficiency, renewable energy systems, sustainable transport and communication networks.
• Increasing environmental protection and supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Promoting equitable and sustainable socio-economic development through the improvement of social service infrastructure and support to SMEs.

The program allows the European Union to engage in projects that would have been outside the scope of conventional development cooperation instruments, in a region where an increasing number of countries are looking for different approaches, innovative instruments and new forms of tailored support for investment.