Uruguay to Strengthen Public Security with IDB Support of $200 Million

WASHINGTON - The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Board of Executive Directors approved a Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects (CCLIP) of up to $200 million to support the strengthening of public security and justice in Uruguay.

As part of this credit line, the Board approved an initial individual loan of $25 million for the program "More Security I: Advancing Key Areas of Public Security Management." The program aims to improve the effectiveness of the prison system, strengthen criminal investigations, and modernize police training.

Uruguay is facing growing challenges related to organized crime, including multiple issues in its prison system, the need to improve criminal investigations, and the imperative to prepare the police force for future challenges.

To address these, the program will enhance prison management through the construction and equipping of a new Assessment and Referral Center (CED) in the interior of the country, and the implementation of new technologies and protocols to strengthen prison security. It will also promote the modernization of the National Police, incorporating scientific and technological equipment to improve criminal investigations, including cybercrime. A new competency-based police training model will be developed, featuring specialized programs in investigation, leadership, and criminal analysis, all structured within a credit-based university career path.

The project aims to improve safety conditions for inmates and working conditions for prison staff; enhance police capacity to identify perpetrators of homicides and other crimes; and strengthen the institutional capacity of the police to become more effective public servants. This operation is part of the IDB's regional Alliance for Security, Justice, and Development, which promotes evidence-based solutions to strengthen security and justice institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Ministry of the Interior will be the executing agency for the program. The financing is provided under a Specific Investment Loan, with a repayment term of 24.5 years, a six-year grace period, and a five-year disbursement period.