IW:LEARN to lead regional workshop on funding and financing at the 4th Transboundary Waters Symposium in Lima

30 September - 3 October | Lima, Peru
From 30 September to 2 October 2025, Lima, Peru will host the Fourth International Symposium on Transboundary Waters in Latin America and the Caribbean, led by ANA with support from the OAS Department of Sustainable Development, the IDB Water and Sanitation Division, and the Peruvian Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation.

This fourth edition will contribute to strengthening governance and water security in transboundary basins, foster dialogue and exchange among countries, and identify concrete actions within a framework of essential technical capacities. Key themes include legal and institutional frameworks, inclusive governance, disaster risk management, science-based decision-making, water diplomacy, and financing. 

IW:LEARN Regional Workshop on Funding and Financing, 2-3 October 2025 

Building on the Symposium relevant sessions on financing, GEF IW:LEARN will host a Regional Workshop on Funding and Financing GEF International Waters Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, co-organised with the Organization of American States (OAS) and in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF).  

The workshop will tackle one of the most pressing challenges for sustaining transboundary water cooperation: mobilising innovative, diversified and durable financing beyond GEF grants in LAC. The workshop will be practical, ensuring participants will have both a strategic and hands-on view of how to purse viable funding and financing options for their IW projects. 

Participants will: 

  • Explore financing pathways and instruments tailored to LAC contexts. 

  • Apply bankability criteria to real GEF IW project cases to assess financing potential. 

  • Develop case-based “Funding Option Sheets” that map practical financing opportunities for real GEF IW projects. 

The workshop builds on the successful IW:LEARN Sustainable Financing Workshop in Montevideo (2024), which highlighted the pivotal role of Multilateral Development Banks in sustaining and scaling GEF IW results.  

A Regional Milestone 

This combined Symposium and Workshop represents a milestone for the GEF IW portfolio in LAC. Last year’s symposium gathered over 150 participants, making it a success for transboundary dialogue in the region. 

Funding and financing beyond GEF grants are indeed a challenge, but by increasing the understanding and the capacity of the projects to engage with organisms such as Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), we can scale up and sustain the long-term results of the GEF investments.