Unlocking Development Capital Through Insurance | The Futures Summit

April 16, 2026 • 9:00 – 9:30 am EDT

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Global Development , Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative

As development finance gaps widen across the Global South and climate-related risks intensify, the ability to manage and price risk has become a central constraint on sustainable development and investment. Potential economically viable projects often remain unfunded, as political instability, climate exposure, and regulatory uncertainty deter private investment. In this context, insurance is emerging as a critical but underutilized tool within the development finance architecture, with the potential to reduce uncertainty, improve recovery from disasters, stabilize returns, and unlock private investment at scale.

As development actors seek to mobilize greater volumes of private capital, a key question is how insurance can be more systematically embedded into financing structures to reduce risks and expand the amount of investable projects. Noam Unger, Vice President of the CSIS Global Development Department, was joined by Michel Liès, Chairman of Zurich Insurance Group and Chair of the Insurance Development Forum, to discuss the role of insurance in lowering risk, mobilizing capital, and advancing sustainable development outcomes. 

The Futures Summit: A New Era of Development Cooperation

This studio interview is part of CSIS's flagship development conference taking place over several days of in-person and virtual convening. From April 10-17, 2026, the CSIS Futures Summit explored how best to navigate and advance this new era of cooperation, paying close attention to the shifts in global leadership, new models and partnerships, and what should come next.

For the full agenda, visit the CSIS Futures Summit.

The CSIS Futures Summit is made possible through generous support from Chevron Inc. (Founding sponsor), ADM, Cisco, and the Embassy of Denmark in Washington D.C. 

Tags

International Development, Strategic Capital, Global Markets, and Climate Change

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Point of Contact

Noam Unger

Noam Unger

Vice President, Global Development Department, Director, Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative and Senior Fellow, Project on Prosperity and Development
Michael Lies

Michel Liès

Chairman of Zurich Insurance Group and Chair of the Insurance Development Forum

Programs & Projects

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