IAEA and IDB Join Forces to Expand Nuclear Energy in Latin America and Caribbean

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Countries across Latin America and the Caribbean exploring nuclear power as a source of reliable, low-carbon electricity could benefit from closer cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). A new agreement brings together the agency's nuclear expertise and the bank's development experience, giving the two institutions a framework to help governments assess where nuclear technologies could fit into their energy plans and wider development needs.

A partnership to support informed energy choices

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The agreement covers the safe, secure and sustainable use of nuclear energy, with cooperation extending to technical assistance, knowledge sharing, dialogue, workforce and institutional capacity, energy-system planning and infrastructure. For countries considering nuclear power, these areas involve decisions about the systems, skills and resources needed to support its use.

Grossi described the agreement as recognition of nuclear energy's potential contribution to sustainable development, energy security and economic growth. Combining the IAEA's technical knowledge with the IDB's regional reach could help governments make informed choices about their future electricity supply. Cooperation will explore the technical, institutional and economic aspects of large-scale reactors, small modular reactors (SMRs) and other emerging nuclear technologies, following the approach taken in the agency's recent agreements with other international financial institutions.

Regional nuclear capacity could more than double

Argentina, Brazil and Mexico are the only countries in Latin America and the Caribbean currently generating electricity from nuclear power, which supplied 1.8% of the region's electricity in 2025, compared with 8.4% globally. The IAEA's 2026 projections indicate that regional nuclear generating capacity could more than double by 2050 and reach approximately 2.5 times its current level by 2060. Small modular reactors are expected to account for around 40% of new nuclear capacity in the region, giving them a potentially significant role in future expansion.

Brazil has joined the global commitment to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, first adopted at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The regional outlook sits within growing international interest in nuclear power as countries evaluate how to meet rising electricity demand and strengthen energy security alongside their climate goals. The projected expansion describes a possible path for the region, with national decisions about technologies, infrastructure and economic feasibility remaining central to how that growth develops.

Cooperation reaches cancer care, farming and water

The agreement extends beyond electricity, building on existing IAEA-IDB cooperation in health, food security and water management. Its broader scope includes access to health services, particularly cancer care and control, together with agricultural productivity and sustainable farming practices that can better withstand climate pressures. Soil, nutrient and water management are part of that work, connecting the partnership to practical development needs involving healthcare access, food production and the responsible use of natural resources.

The IDB agreement adds to the IAEA's expanding cooperation with development finance institutions over the past two years, including the World Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank, CAF—Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean—and the OPEC Fund for International Development. These partnerships support countries evaluating nuclear energy's place in their development plans, bringing technical expertise into discussions about reliable electricity, economic growth and climate commitments. The new framework gives the IAEA and IDB a basis for exploring that work together across Latin America and the Caribbean.