AIIB and UNDP Renew Five-Year Sustainable Infrastructure Financing Partnership

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have signed a renewed five-year Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate investment in sustainable infrastructure and climate projects. Announced in Beijing on 6 November 2026, the agreement aims to help countries convert national development priorities into investment-ready projects, mobilize financing and strengthen implementation. The partnership will focus on sustainable infrastructure, blended finance, climate and nature investments, and country-level policy support.

 

The agreement builds on cooperation established in 2023, which produced the Global Financing Playbook, a framework designed to help governments coordinate development finance and structure bankable projects. Under the renewed arrangement, UNDP will contribute its country-level expertise, government partnerships and project preparation capabilities, while AIIB will provide infrastructure financing expertise and financial instruments. The organizations aim to mobilize grants, concessional funding and additional co-financing to support projects in priority countries.

 

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A joint action matrix will guide cooperation over the next five years, covering project identification, preparation, resource mobilization and implementation. The partnership also creates opportunities to connect AIIB's financing capabilities with UNDP's recently launched Investment Accelerator, which helps governments improve investment policies, develop project pipelines and attract investors. Individual investments will remain subject to approval by the respective institutions.

 

Alexander De Croo, Administrator of UNDP, said, "The challenge is too often turning those priorities into investment-ready projects and connecting them with financing." He emphasized the importance of combining UNDP's local expertise with AIIB's financing capacity. Zou Jiayi, President and Chair of AIIB's Board of Directors, highlighted the role of coordinated financing in developing sustainable infrastructure that supports economic resilience and regional connectivity.

 

The renewed partnership will also prioritize the development outcomes of infrastructure investments, including employment, public services, livelihoods and local economic growth. By strengthening project preparation and financing coordination, AIIB and UNDP aim to increase the number of sustainable development projects that can attract investment. However, the agreement does not specify a total financing commitment or identify individual projects approved under the renewed framework.

 

Source: UNDP