Overview
Bolivia, a landlocked country rich in natural resources, encompasses an exceptionally diverse geography. With a population of around 11.31 million according to the 2024 census, Bolivia’s economy remains highly dependent on mining and other extractive industries, which exposes the country to commodity price fluctuations. Bolivia has the world's largest known lithium reserves a crucial component of batteries.
Our partnership
The EU supports Bolivia’s sustainable developments efforts, in line with the Global Gateway strategy and Bolivia's Social and Economic Development Programme.
Relations are framed under the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+), which grants Bolivia preferential access to European markets. The EU has remained an important development partner, supporting Bolivia in areas such as democratic governance, institutional strengthening, sustainable natural resource management, climate action, and social inclusion.
In recent years, cooperation has increasingly focused on advancing the green and digital transitions, fostering renewable energy potential, and strengthening public financial management.
Additionally, the EU maintains a strong commitment to promoting democratic values, the rule of law, human rights, and sustainable development in Bolivia, in line with its broader engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean.
EU actions align with Bolivia’s emphasis on two priority areas: ‘Environment, Climate Change, and Inclusive Economic Development’ and ‘Governance and Human Rights’.
Team Europe in Bolivia brings together funds from the EU and Member States with the objective to foster a green transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and climate-resilient economy. Team Europe in Bolivia is represented on the ground by France, Germany, Sweden, Italy, and Spain through their local offices, while Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland participate remotely. Activities are also implemented in partnership with Switzerland and several European development and financial institutions, ensuring a coordinated and comprehensive approach to advancing sustainable development in Bolivia.
The EU has an indicative allocation of €104 million in grant funding towards the partnership in 2021-27. Bolivia also benefits from several multi-country EU-programmes.
EU-Bolivia partnership documents can be found in the ‘Related documents’ section below.
Our key initiatives
- Environment, climate change, and inclusive economic development
The EU is working with Bolivia on a broad range of critical projects to improve the country’s economy, sustainability and resilience. The efforts focus on:
- Supporting environmental protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and promoting sustainable economic development.
- Supporting the Bolivian government in the development and implementation of policies on forests and integrated fire management.
- Supporting the sound management and conservation of national protected areas.
- Supporting conservation, restoration, governance and sustainable management and use of natural resources, biodiversity and ecosystems, including forests.
- Strengthening disaster risk prevention and management at national and sub-national level.
- Supporting forest fire prevention through Civil Society in coordination with AMAZONIA+.
- Reinforcing indigenous peoples’ rights and fight against gender-based violence policies in line with the Bolivian public policy and regulations and the EU Gender Action Plan –GAPIII.
- Contributing to the universal and sustainable coverage of drinking water and sanitary sewage services and making water management climate resilient.
- Developing and strengthening the policy and regulatory framework to implement various tools related to Solid Waste Management.
- Accelerating energy transition investments in Bolivia, including in a socially and environmentally responsible lithium value chain.
- Governance and human rights
The EU is collaborating with Bolivia on governance, democracy and human rights focusing, among others, on protecting the rights of marginalised communities, fighting organised crime, justice reform, and expanding opportunities for Bolivia’s youth. This includes:
- Supporting Bolivia’s fight against organised crime, including drugs and human trafficking as well as money laundering alongside international partners like the United Nations.
- Collaborating with Bolivia and the United Nations in their fight against police corruption.
- Supporting a UNWomen’s project on combating gender-based violence.
- Empowering civil society organisations oriented towards defending human rights.
- Funding and helping implement the Alianza de Oro, which focuses on the Andean region’s experience with illegal mining.
- Financing the recognition and protection of indigenous voices and cultures in Bolivia.
- Supporting the Bolivian EMB on preparing elections and CSO´s organisations on promoting Democracy and informed vote as well as fighting disinformation and political violence.
- Promoting the defence and recognition of LGBTI rights in the Andean region.
- Facilitating a multitude of projects devoted to youth training and employment, orienting them in particular to jobs that advance Bolivia’s sustainability.
- Broadening Bolivians’ inclusion in the agenda for human rights and equal access to justice and Justice reform.
- Regional and global programmes and projects
The EU is supporting key Bolivian actions in sustainability, including climate change mitigation, sustainable job creation, the creation of a circular economy, and renewable energy. It is also working with Bolivia on climate migration, forest management, and fighting organised crime. Areas of cooperation include:
- Supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation through EUROCLIMA.
- Supporting forest fire prevention through AMAZONIA+.
- Promoting sustainable growth and job creation through the AL-INVEST Verde Programme.
- Supporting Bolivia on fight against money laundering with EU Anti Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Global Facility.
- Enhancing fight against drug trafficking with the support of the Global Illicit Flows programme.
- Combating transnational organised crime through El PACCTO 2.0.
- Enhancing integrated border management and combating trafficking and smuggling through EUROFRONT.
- Supporting drug policy development through COPOLAD III.
- Investing in renewable energy and water and sanitation through the Latin American Investment Facility (LACIF).
- Mitigating climate migration through MIEUX+.
- Monitoring forest fires in the Amazon region through the European Research Centre (JRC).
- Humanitarian aid
The EU is working with Bolivia on strengthening capabilities for disaster preparedness and anticipatory actions.
