Myriam Bouslama (EDHEC Master 2003): “The environmental transition is inconceivable without a just social transition”

The French Development Agency (AFD) is the State’s public bank internationally, dedicated to solidarity-based investment and sustainable development. For 4 years, Myriam Bouslama (EDHEC Master  2003) has headed up its Colombian office in Bogotá. She shares with us the ins and outs of diplomatic and economic cooperation with local authorities, with the shared objective of achieving climate and social justice.

How would you summarise your current position and responsibilities?

The AFD offers reimbursable funding while remaining a not-for-profit institution. It is a bank that does not seek to maximize its commercial margin but rather to ensure a lasting offer that contributes to sustainable development. The AFD’s network in the countries in which it operates allows it to roll out its strategy on the ground in proximity with locals and the social and economic realities they face. It also recently developed dedicated teams in several countries, adopting a regional approach. I’m the director of the Colombian agency based in Bogotá, overseeing a team of nine people. I’m responsible for developing the AFD’s business plan – economic activities and financing projects – as well as conveying French influence together with the team present here in Colombia. We work under the statutory responsibility of the French ambassador in Colombia.

What criteria do you take into account to ensure a project’s feasibility?

The AFD has two strategic focuses: combating climate change and combating inequality. Our goal is a sustainable improvement in the living conditions of inhabitants. In order for the development of countries to be truly sustainable, a lasting environmental transition must be facilitated, with the support of the local population. We endeavour to have the best possible knowledge of “our” terrain in terms of the realities and challenges people face, and then we adapt accordingly. Colombia is a country with relatively low emissions, but is highly exposed to the threats of climate change. The deterioration of its ecosystem is having a tangible and visible impact on living conditions. One of its particular features is that it is home to páramos, neo-tropical biotopes that are fragile but vital for the planet and contain an extraordinary number of endemic animal and plant species due to the high altitude – the Andean Cordillera runs through the country – and the intense sunshine because of the proximity of the Equator: the vegetation of the páramos absorbs humidity and forms an essential water cycle linked to the Amazon.

Socially, Colombia is a young society and one that is very urban and unfortunately has stark inequalities. Its Gini coefficient (NDLR: indicator of income inequality within a given population) is among the highest in the world, after Brazil, and it is one of the 10 countries with the highest levels of inequality worldwide. 

With which other organizations does the AFD discuss projects?

Our main interlocutors are the Colombian State and “non-sovereign” entities, i.e. public enterprise, cities and regions. We take into account all of a country’s data to determine which public policies favour sustainable development so as to propose financing and budgetary support, and in return we agree on a political agenda, a framework of public policy initiatives which the State or public body we work with undertakes to implement.

Does the AFD make project proposals or simply support missions already underway?

We can intervene in both ways. We have made proposals on the climate in Colombia. COP21 in 2015 was a structural initiative for the planet, with many countries – including Colombia – signing the Paris agreement and making strong commitments to combat climate change. And so since 2015 the agency in Bogotá has maintained a strategic dialogue with Colombia to accompany it in its roadmap, with financing for public policies and technical cooperation programmes with non-reimbursable funds (subsidies). Today we are very proud that Colombia has developed a strategy with a target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Climate action legislation was even adopted last December, a huge success for this country! 

In other cases, we can be solicited for help. For example, we supported Colombia in reforming its healthcare and social security system. The programme got underway in 2014 and was completed just before the pandemic, and we continue to maintain lasting relations with the Ministry for health.

Are the projects you propose always seen favourably by the authorities?

Almost all the countries the AFD operates in have a colonial past, and for many of them their history is closely linked to France, so there are acute ethical and moral issues at stake. To avoid as much as possible any sense that Europe is preaching, it is essential to have a very solid understanding of the political microcosm in which we intervene, and that’s the most fascinating aspect of our work. It’s about knowing how to share ideas, with a partnership mindset, we really seek to establish true cooperation as part of an enriching relationship for both parties. Humility is fundamental. For things to go well, we must make sure that Colombia truly takes on board the projects we propose. We structure the different phases together and simply try to hold our course, that’s very important. You need diplomatic intuition, to be able to influence others with finesse and understand the government’s concerns, together with the embassy. Like in a game of chess, you need to be able to evaluate the interests of each party and open the door at the right time and on the right issue. After 13 years operating in Colombia, our reputation is beginning to be well established, and we are now among the country’s 5 most important international funders.

Is the benefit sought by the AFD soft power for France?

Although that’s not the AFD’s primary mission, it’s an issue that is present. We are first and foremost on hand to support sustainable development in the countries we operate in. What counts is that more and more people can have a decent standard of living and access to essential services like education, healthcare or financial services. You don’t become an AFD agent by chance, you need to be profoundly committed to development, that’s something we place great value on. That said, we work very closely with the French embassy, so even though the AFD’s actions are not formally linked to French interests, there is a question of influence. Among the 47 indicators that measure the AFD’s success in the eyes of the State, there is indeed one that relates to economic influence.

How do you include NGOs in these joint construction efforts?

Civil society is powerful in Colombia. It works closely with citizens to bring them certain essential services. Colombia lived in armed conflict for a little more than 52 years, with peace accords bringing it to an end in 2016. During that long period of civil war, people were deprived of public services. That vacuum now needs to be filled. The peace accords are based on transitions with lengthy implementation periods (10 or 15 years). Ultimately, the State is supposed to be present throughout the national territory, like in a country with no conflict. That’s not yet the case, which is why the network of NGOs is so important, and we can use a portfolio of financial aids to support their key initiatives, some of which are essential for locals. These NGOs, which have been on the ground for a very long time, are a source of extremely valuable information. Some of them work in delicate areas involving reconciliation between victims and former combatants. Although these issues may seem far removed from our mandate, we support them because they are of the utmost importance for the country’s development. This approach complements our other operations.

What’s the approach to development in towns where inequality is exacerbated by the topography, like Medellín?

Medellín is a good example. The city had the ingenious idea to install cable cars linking the hillside neighbourhoods – which are particularly vulnerable, impoverished and underprivileged – to the city centre in less than 15 minutes. Without that facility, it used to take residents more than an hour and a half to reach the city centre. This transport system using cables, with no emissions, is part of the city’s sustainable development projects, and ultimately has proven to be a factor in social cohesion. The AFD funded the project. The number of job opportunities soared. All these issues are linked: green growth is only sustainable if based on solidarity. It is important to listen to municipal teams as well as users to ensure the most innovative projects come to the fore.

How does the AFD draw the link between the different areas of intervention?

The environmental transition is inconceivable without a just social transition. It is only real if it includes everyone. We are currently working on a highly gratifying project with the city of Barranquilla, on the Caribbean coast. Until the beginning of the 2000s, the city faced problems of flooding, extreme poverty and urban congestion, and for example had no sewage system. The municipal team was able to devise and implement an urban development strategy for the local population. It has real vision when it comes to urban planning and social cohesion. In 2020, the city asked us to support the implementation of its municipal development plan: we provide the financing and agree on development initiatives. These include the restoration of Ciénaga de Mallorquín, a lagoon at the mouth of Río Magdalena, leading to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, with a unique ecosystem made vulnerable by climate change and human activities. This zone is set to be redeveloped so that locals can enjoy it sustainably in a way that respects the environment. This is currently our flagship project, unanimously approved at the 2020 board meeting. 

Could the result of the presidential and parliamentary elections this year in Colombia change the course of the AFD’s projects?

We are wagering that whoever wins, the commitments made to combat climate change will not be undermined or instrumentalised during the electoral campaign. The climate problem is one that speaks to everyone. But we are working at full capacity because we want to make sure that the projects will be seen through by the next administration. We are currently finalising the last item on the climate agenda with the current administration, but we will not change our vision or mission with the arrival of the new one. We will spend several months actively listening and observing so we can take stock of the country’s new priorities. The new administration will have 4 months to draw up its National Development Plan, which it will present in December. Our team will issue a summary of it so we understand the paths chosen, and we will then look at the best angles from which to collaborate with the State and maximize our value added.

The AFD often refers to the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), officially announced in 2015. Have they helped structure the organizations that work to help countries develop?

The 17 SDGs have brought a great deal of structure because now everyone speaks the same language within the international community. The ongoing pandemic has caused a setback in the human development index, particularly when it comes to access to education, but not only. In several Latin American countries, schools remained shut for 18 months – that’s almost 2 school years in countries with young and mostly poor populations. Children are dropping out and starting to work, no longer returning to school. The latest report from the World Bank estimates that around 10 years have been lost in terms of development efforts in middle-income countries. The 17 SDGs are shared global development objectives, and the target of 2030 is approaching fast.