The Business of Cities’ Managing Director, Tim Moonen, was invited to participate in a panel discussion on the practice of local economic development agencies and the lessons associated with attracting urban investment, as part of the 2025 OECD Local Development Forum in Barranquilla, Colombia.
40+ years of lessons on what makes local agencies succeed
With over 100 cities now drawing on dedicated agencies for redevelopment, promotion, and investment, the session explored how these bodies succeed, where they’re evolving, and why they matter more than ever for Latin American cities facing centre-city, resilience, and coordination challenges.
New momentum from the Inter-American Development Bank
The discussion gained urgency as the Inter-American Development Bank rolls out its Cities and Regions initiative, a five-year pilot unlocking up to $1bn in loans and guarantees for cities with credible delivery vehicles.
Peer cities share what really works
The panel welcomed the Regional Plan Association, OECD, and the IDB, highlighting the key ingredients for success, from market-facing skills and external review to SME engagement, transparency, and generous capacity building.
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