Capital for an economy with identity
The South American Indigenous Business Bank is a developing initiative inspired by the proposal formulated by Alfredo Sfeir Younis during his participation in the 2nd South American Indigenous Business Forum. The vision proposes advancing towards a financial architecture capable of understanding the characteristics, values, territories, and needs specific to Indigenous economies.
The proposal starts from a central question: if Indigenous businesses integrate identity, territory, community, and sustainability in their way of creating value, how should the financial instruments and criteria designed to support them be structured?
An idea with a track record
Alfredo Sfeir Younis developed an extensive international career in economics, environment, and development. He worked at the World Bank between 1976 and 2005, where he held responsibilities as a natural resources economist, special representative to the United Nations, and senior advisor. His experience in development financing and sustainability provides context to the proposal presented at the Forum.
At the 2nd Forum, where he was honored as Ambassador of the South American Indigenous Business Forum, Sfeir shared his vision of a financial institution oriented towards Indigenous peoples. That idea has inspired conversations with nations and actors in South America interested in exploring ways to materialize a financial initiative built from their own realities.
Cusco 2026: from vision to business conversation
During the South American Indigenous Business Forum in Cusco 2026, a Business Roundtable will be held around this initiative. It will be an opportunity to bring together Indigenous, business, technical, and institutional perspectives and begin discussing conditions, needs, alliances, and possible implementation paths.
It is not just about financing Indigenous businesses. It is about exploring what a financial institution designed from the economic reality of the peoples themselves would look like.