At the World Urban Forum in Baku, delegations from Colombia, Mexico and Ecuador pushed for new housing finance models capable of supporting affordable, climate-resilient cities.
As urban populations continue to grow across Latin America, policymakers warned that traditional state-led housing systems are struggling to keep pace with rising demand, climate risks and widening inequality.
Among the leading voices was Aydeé Marsiglia Bello, Colombia's housing minister, who said governments can no longer rely solely on public spending to address the scale of the housing crisis.
"Public investment continues to play a fundamental role, especially to guarantee equity and protect vulnerable communities," Bello told Euronews Business. "But housing challenges today are too large to be addressed by governments alone."
Colombia is combining public subsidies, territorial investment and multilateral cooperation to expand affordable housing while integrating climate resilience into urban planning, she said.
