IDB Approves $400 Million for Argentina to Strengthen Security and Reform Prisons

The Federal Security Strengthening Program in Argentina, known as PROSEFE, is expected to benefit approximately 8.7 million people across 22 departments in nine provinces.

For communities affected by violence, stronger public security depends on institutions that can investigate crimes effectively, share information and respond to increasingly complex criminal networks. Argentina will receive support for those efforts through a $400 million results-based loan approved by the Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) Board of Executive Directors, with funding directed towards federal security institutions, criminal investigations and prison management.

The Federal Security Strengthening Program in Argentina, known as PROSEFE, is expected to benefit approximately 8.7 million people across 22 departments in nine provinces. Its reforms and investments will support Argentina's Ministry of National Security in strengthening the Federal Security Forces, improving coordination among agencies and modernising the systems used for operational planning and public policy decisions.

Specialised Training for More Than 11,000 Personnel

Professional and specialised training forms the centre of the initiative, reaching more than 11,000 personnel from the Argentine Federal Police, Federal Penitentiary Service, Gendarmerie and Naval Prefecture. The investment is designed to strengthen the skills these institutions need to prevent, investigate and respond to complex criminal activity, giving personnel better preparation for the demands of their work.

Viviana Alva Hart, the IDB Group's country representative in Argentina, described strong institutions, specialised competencies and better tools as essential to improving public security. She said the program reflects the bank's commitment to helping Argentina make its security institutions more effective and contribute to safer communities, with particular attention to people living in the priority intervention areas.

Better Information and More Opportunities for Reintegration

Modern technology and information systems will help security institutions generate, integrate and use criminal information more effectively. The program will support tools that improve operational planning and decision-making, helping agencies coordinate their work and strengthening the delivery of services in communities most affected by violence.

Federal prison management is another major part of the initiative, with people held in correctional facilities expected to benefit from expanded educational and productive programs that support social reintegration. These opportunities bring a practical human dimension to the investment, connecting institutional improvements with learning and productive activities that can help people prepare for life beyond detention.

A Broader Partnership on Security and Justice

PROSEFE forms part of a wider partnership between Argentina and the IDB Group to strengthen security and justice institutions. It complements the Proactive Security and Justice Program, known as PROSEJUS, a policy-based guarantee supporting reforms in criminal investigation, prosecution and the recovery of illicit assets, linking improvements in institutional capabilities with changes to the policies that guide their work.

The initiative aligns with the IDB Group Country Strategy with Argentina for 2025–2028, which prioritises stronger institutions, a more effective public sector and better outcomes for vulnerable populations. It also contributes to the Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development, a regional initiative supporting institutional strengthening and improved security across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Financing will come from the IDB's Ordinary Capital resources, with the loan carrying a 25-year maturity and a 5.5-year grace period. The operation brings training, technology, coordination and prison management into a shared effort to improve how federal institutions respond to organised crime and serve the communities that depend on them.