Team from the Institute of City Planning and Management at Divinópolis headquarters Disclosure/Social Networks The Institute of City Planning and Management (IPGC) was created in Divinópolis, in 2013, and operates in Brazil and other countries. The organization structures Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) projects to help city halls make works and services viable. The institute's work seeks to transform projects into investments, especially in municipalities that face difficulties due to lack of resources or technical planning. And the action was that of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), highlighting the institute in the United Nations (UN) People First program, which evaluates infrastructure projects that prioritize social well-being. ? Click here to follow the g1 Centro-Oeste de Minas channel on WhatsApp According to the founder, Leonardo Santos, the origin of the institution goes through public health and the academic environment of the Federal University of São João del-Rei, when he observed real difficulties in the municipalities. "I come from the health sector, I was a professor at the university and I ended up leaving to undertake a business in the social area. That's when we created the Institute in Divinópolis", recalled the founder. According to him, the objective was to professionalize the relationship between the government and the private sector. "We created the largest national program for structuring public-private partnerships in Brazil. The idea is to create a new culture of relationship between the public sector and the private sector so that we can improve infrastructure and, naturally, people's quality of life." Through an industrial working model, IPGC treats the structuring of projects as a "Partnership Factory". Instead of treating each work or concession as an isolated artisanal project, the institute designed an engineering process that standardizes technical, legal and economic studies. This allows cities with restricted budgets to have access to the same technical quality as world metropolises, using the Structuring Fund (FUNEPICE) to enable studies at "zero cost" for municipalities. public-private institute of Divinópolis highlighted at the UN Leonardo Santos/ Personal archive According to Leonardo Santos, the institute not only models the project, but also acts as an independent verifier, monitoring the contract for its 25 or 30 years to ensure that the service reaches the citizen with the promised quality. The institution operates with offices in Brasília, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Divinópolis, serving several capital cities. The public-private company worked on several projects such as public lighting in Goiânia, the structuring of concessions in Rio de Janeiro, as well as initiatives in Palmas, Campo Grande and Florianópolis. Awards recognized by the UN public-private institute in Divinópolis highlighted at the UN Leonardo Santos/ Personal archive The work methodology caught the attention of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The institute has been highlighted in the People First program of the United Nations (UN), which evaluates infrastructure projects that prioritize social well-being and are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030. ?The UN Agenda 2030 is a global action plan adopted in 2015 by 193 Member States, including Brazil. It establishes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets to eradicate poverty, combat inequalities, protect the environment and promote prosperity by 2030. "The UN understands that several objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda can only be achieved in partnership with the private sector. In other words, the private sector will make the investments and accelerate the fulfillment of the SDGs", said Leonardo. The highlighted projects are: In 2022, with the Smart City PPP in Carmo do Cajuru (MG): This project modernized public lighting, generating savings for municipal coffers and using technology to increase street safety. In 2023, in Piauí with the Photovoltaic Plant PPP: The focus of this project is to reduce the cost of city halls' energy bills, freeing up resources for investments in areas such as health and education. In 2024, with the Smart City PPPs in Goiânia and Maceió, in addition to the Basic Sanitation PPP in Upanema: These concession projects seek to universalize access to treated water and sewage collection, combating diseases and ensuring dignity for the population. In 2025, with the Smart City PPPs in Goiânia and Garopaba and the Administrative Complex PPP in Maceió: The objective of these projects is to optimize service to citizens and reduce operational expenses for city halls on rentals and maintenance of old buildings. READ ALSO: Family has been searching for ten months for an app driver who disappeared when leaving for work Book by a Divinopolitan author tells a love story amid the sinking of the Prince of Asturias 'Suspirou': the story about loneliness that inspired the short film filmed in Oliveira Expansion and future Leonardo Santos Founder of the Leonardo Santos Institute/ Personal archive According to Leonardo Santos, for the future the goal is to continue helping municipalities overcome management challenges. The proposal, according to him, has remained the same since its founding: using technique and planning to make public management work better for those who live in the city. "IPGC is currently an institution from Minas Gerais, but has served several cities in Brazil", he concluded. * Intern under the supervision of Guilherme Gonçalves. WATCH: New US tax could affect Minas Gerais exports Direct from the Capital: New US tax could affect Minas Gerais exports VIDEOS: see everything about the Central-West of Minas Gerais