WHAT CONNECTS US TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE?
That question is driving us to look for alternatives to transform Brazil and the rest of the world through more inclusive and innovative solutions.

Connection 2030:
Strategies for Sustainable Development
The emergence of the transition to a more sustainable, resilient, and fair society becomes more pronounced as we approach the year 2030. Through the lenses of the climate issue, the preservation of biodiversity, and environmental heritage, the urgency increases in parallel with growing social demands, evidencing Connections and demanding the creation of joint strategies and solutions. From this perspective, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is the set of goals agreed upon by the countries of the United Nations to be achieved by 2030, contribute to organize key priorities and have the challenge of deepening the Connections so that the coming days, years, and decades are inclusive, equitable, and sustainable.
The Covid-19 crisis, the effects of which were felt on a global scale, put even more of a spotlight on the importance of Connections. We observed that, from impact to solution, the collective and systemic perspective stands out, indicating that for the health crisis to be completely overcome, mobilization and coordination between strategic stakeholders is necessary, in addition to the creation of solutions with an eye on the economic and social imbalances between territories. Thus, the challenge that represents recovery and reconstruction is added to the importance of reconciling with the sustainable goals defined in the 2030 Agenda, to rebuild with a view to a better future.
On the path to promote the transition to a more sustainable, inclusive, and innovative development model, public policies are able to guide the execution of the economic and social planning and contribute to a greater Connection between stakeholders, actions, and projects. In this context, financing policies are inserted as the bridge between objectives and results, making agendas feasible and mobilizing resources for coordinated actions in the economy and society. Development Financial Institutions (DFIs), which have a solid history of proactivity in carrying out strategic development projects, are key to the viability of the actions around the goals of the 2030 Agenda.
With this in mind, it is essential that the mapping of opportunities and challenges of key policy missions be the result of broad dialogue among stakeholders and society. It is important to discuss and disseminate solutions such as the bioeconomy, the development of sustainable and smart cities, the sustainable perspective in infrastructure and logistics projects, and the debate on diversity, inclusion, and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it is also essential to discuss the financing of the investments necessary for a sustainable transition, by strengthening instruments and institutions and creating new markets, such as Blended Finance and guarantee mechanisms. Finally, strengthening the relationship with national and international stakeholders and reinforcing cooperation between countries is also a fundamental matter in the debate and conduction of the 2030 Agenda
Organized annually by the Brazilian Development Association (ABDE), the Development Forum seeks to bring together members of the SNF, federal and subnational governments, international organizations, bodies representing civil society, and specialists, with the aim of finding paths to the Brazilian sustainable development agendas. ABDE understands that the agendas for the future will be successful only to the extent that they can be built through dialogue, and invites all interested parties to offer their contribution to the debate.


The Brazilian Development Association (ABDE), which brings together members of the National Fostering System (SNF) composed of development banks and fostering agencies from all over the country, as well as Finep and Sebrae, is developing a plan to intensify the contribution of these institutions in meeting the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), outlined by the United Nations 2030 Agenda. The ABDE 2030 Plan for Sustainable Development aims to bring concrete proposals for public policies, with emphasis on the theme of financing, which contribute to a more sustainable, inclusive and innovative development for Brazil. Considering the path taken by ABDE in recent years, the ABDE 2030 Plan will be aligned with the SDGs, in line with the Paris Memorandum of Understanding and and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
According to the “Civil Society Light Report on the 2030 Agenda”, carried out by non-governmental organizations, entities and forums of Brazilian civil society and disclosed in July, the country is late in meeting the 17 goals of the SDGs, even though the Agenda has gained projection in the world. At ABDE, the theme gained momentum after the definition of the Strategic Planning (2020 – 2023).
Since then, the Association has been working on the implementation of projects aimed at bringing the institutions of the National Development System (SNF) closer to the SDGs agenda, in order to encourage the incorporation of sustainable finance criteria, instruments and policies by its members, as well as promoting the improvement of the national and subnational institutional architecture for Brazilian sustainable development.
The Plan will be forwarded to the presidential candidates, Federal Government agencies, and the presidents of the House and Senate in February 2022. There will also be an effort to disseminate the ABDE 2030 Plan to the entire body of ABDE Associates, civil society, academia, and specialists. For the production of the document, there will be a cycle of workshops on the SDGs,interviews with internal and external experts to the SNF and actions with international partner entities, such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in addition to public hearings in the House and Senate and data collection. The discussions will culminate in the preparation of public policies and bills in order to facilitate the fulfillment of the SDGs and boost the country's sustainable development.
Agenda
Time Zone: Brasília Time (BRT), UTC -3.
Presentation of the ABDE 2030 Sustainable Development Plan
Gustavo Montezano President of BNDES and ABDE’s Assembly
Jeanette Lontra President of Badesul and ABDE
Rebeca Grynspan Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Ricardo Mourinho Félix Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB)
Marie-Hélène Loison Deputy CEO of the French Development Agency (AFD)
Jorge Arbache Vice-President of the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
Heiko Thoms German Ambassador in Brazil, German Embassy
Susana Cordeiro Guerra Manager Institutions for Development at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
Silvia Rucks United Nations Resident Coordinator in Brazil (UN Brazil)
Eugênia Regina Melo Government Director of Banco de Brasília (BRB)
Jeanette Lontra President of Badesul and ABDE
Valdecir Tose President of Banco da Amazônia (BASA) and Vice President of ABDE
Sergio Suchodolski President of Desenvolve SP
Comments from Karin Vazquez Professor O.P. Jindal Global University
Zeina Latif
Nelson Marconi
Germano Rigotto
Guilherme Mello
Moderator: José Luis Gordon Executive Secretary of ABDE
Q&A with ABDE Directors
Paulo Costa President of Desenbahia
Jair Marques President of Desenvolve MT and Director of ABDE
Luiz Awazu Pereira da Silva Deputy General Manager at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
Alexandre Staff Varela Head of Regional Office for Latin America at the European Investment Bank (EIB)
Paloma Casero Director for Brazil at the World Bank (WB)
Adama Mariko Deputy Executive Director at AFD e Secretary General at Finance in Common
Moderator: Sergio Suchodolski President of Desenvolve SP
Lamine Sow Deputy Director for Brazil at AFD
Marcos Thadeu Senior Professional at Americas Regional Office of New Development Bank
Jorge Moreira da Silva Director at Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Moderator: Cristiano Prado Coordinator Inclusive Socioeconomic Development Unit at UNDP Brazil
Exhibition of cases from Sicredi and Bandes
Rafael Cavazzoni Financial markets lead specialist at IDB
Martin Schröder Director for Brazil at KfW Group
Luana Ozemela CEO DIMA Consult
Moderator: Paulo Bouças Director at Banco do Brasil (BB)
Exhibition of case from Desenvolve MT
Jorge Arbache Vice-President of CAF
Maria Netto Chief Financial Institutions and Markets at New Development Bank
Chandra Shekhar Sinha Senior Climate Change Specialist at the World Bank
Moderator: Bruno Laskowsky Director at BNDES
Erivaldo Gomes Secretary of International Affairs at Brazilian Ministry of the Economy
Heraldo Neves President of Fomento Paraná
Mobilizing actors and channeling finance to potentialize the sustainable development agenda
Richard Martínez Alvarado Vice-president for countries at the IDB
Jeanette Lontra President of ABDE and Badesul
Morgan Doyle IDB Group Representative in Brazil
Thiago Borba Credit Branch Coordinator at Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives - OCB
Carlos Mussi Director of the UN Economic Commission for Latin America Office in Brazil
Dennis Fritsch Senior Project Coordinator Sustainable Blue Economy at UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
Claus Reiner Director of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Office in Brazil
Izabella Teixeira Co-Chair International Resource Panel at UN Environment
Valdecir Tose President of Banco da Amazônia
Moderator: Mercedes Bustamante Professor at Universidade de Brasília
Exhibition of cases from AFEAM, AFAP e Banpará
Rodrigo Perpétuo Executive Secretary ICLEI South America
Barbara Buchner Global Managing Director at Climate Policy Initiative (CPI)
Elkin Velasquez Regional Director of UN-Habitat in Latin America and the Caribbean
Gilberto Perre Executive Secretary of Brazil’s National Mayors Alliance
Leany Lemos Director of Operations at BRDE
Henrique Evers Urban Development Manager at World Resources Institute (WRI)
Moderator: Gustavo Ribeiro Project Director at GIZ Brazil
Exhibition of cases from Fomento Paraná
Carlos Leiria Pinto Country Manager for Brazil at International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Pedro Bruno Barros Head of Government and Institutional Relations Division at BNDES
Karla Bertocco Partner at Mauá Capital
Marcelo Bomfim President of BDMG
Moderator: Isadora Cohen President of Infra Women Brazil (IWB)
Rafaela Bassetti CEO at Wishe
Renata Malheiros National Coordinator of the Women Entrepreneurship Program at Sebrae
Joselito Crispim Director ESG at Akintec
Fernanda Ribeiro Co-founder Conta Black
Eduardo Machado President of Badesc
Moderator: Thiago Thobias Lawyer and Master in Public Policy at FGV
Exhibition of cases from AGE PE, Piauí Fomento e Fomento Tocantins
Márcia Maia President of AGN
André Godoy Director at Finep
Luciano Ribeiro Superintendent at Centro Cooperativo Sicoob
Bruno Pena de Sousa Director at BNB
Eugênia Melo Government Director of Banco de Brasília (BRB)
Caetano Minchillo Capitalization and Financial Services Manager at Sebrae
Moderator: Francisco Gaetani Professor at FGV
Exhibition of cases from Desenvolve Alagoas and Banestes
Stephany Griffith-Jones Professor Columbia University
Rogério Studart Senior Fellow Brazil´s Center of International Relations (CEBRI)
Saloua Sehili Chief Strategy Officer African Development Bank (AfDB)
Emilie Maehara Deputy Executive Director at Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV)
Moderator: Henrique Pissaia Chief of Staff at Fonplata
Jeanette Lontra President of Badesul and ABDE
Laetitia Dufay Regional Director of AFD Brazil - Southern Cone
Sebastian Sommer Project Director at GIZ
Representative CAF (TBC)
Representative ONU (TBC)
Representative BRB (TBC)
Speakers



















ABDE
The Brazilian Development Association (ABDE) brings together and represents Development Financial Institutions (DFIs) operating in various regions of Brazil. Among its members are federal public banks, subnational development banks, cooperative banks, subnational commercial public banks, development agencies and two non-financial institutions that support innovation (Finep) and SMEs (Sebrae). Together these institutions make up a coordinated system that implements development finance policies in the country – the National Development Financial System (NDFS).
Founded in 1969, ABDE defines and executes strategies to support Brazilian DFIs in fulfilling their mandates. So as to improve the performance of its members, ABDE offers training courses, produces studies, and represents sectoral interests in debates with government agencies, the productive sector and society. In addition, ABDE promotes a comprehensive dialogue among Brazilian development actors, international partners, and multilateral organizations.
Of the 34 Brazilian development financial institutions that are part of the National Development Financial System, 31 are ABDE members.
Brazilian DFIs
National Development Financial System
The National Development Financial System (NDFS) is a federative development finance network that brings together Brazilian development financial institutions (DFIs) of various regional levels – national, subnational or focused on particular macro regions, such as the Amazon region.
Over the course of decades, the NDFS has been an important instrument in promoting Brazil’s economic development, playing a fundamental role in the financing of the transformative goals required at each moment.
In addition to financing businesses and the public sector, the NDFS contributes with the local expertise of its members to support sustainable development policies aligned with specific regional challenges. The comprehensive regional reach of Brazilian DFIs – coordinated within the NDFS – ensures that international and national development policies are implemented throughout the country and in line with local priorities.
The Brazilian NDFS is not a unique example. Many other countries rely on development finance systems, operating in different regions and segments of the credit market, to implement public policies. In Germany, the KfW is connected to more than 17 regional public banks, while countries such as France, South Korea, China, Mexico, and the United States also count on a wide range of complementary DFIs.