Sustainable development and private sector

The private sector receives special attention.  It is the motor behind growth and contributes directly to achieving goals in the fight against poverty. But it can also have a negative impact on the environment and social cohesion.

Thus, with regards to the private sector, AFD seeks chiefly to:

  • Bear in mind local environmental considerations by co-financing the environmental components of investments in infrastructure or industrial projects. 
  • Fight global warming by supporting projects that are energy efficient and that produce a minimal amount of waste.
  • Protect biodiversity by promoting the reasonable use of tropical forests.  
  • Improve the respect of social rights in the projects that it supports financially.
  • Improve training and education by improving public-private partnerships and getting corporations involved in training.  
  • Improving the health of workers in businesses by supporting private hospital projects and getting businesses involved in the fight against AIDS.  
  • Improving corporate governance by contributing to:  
    • Global corporate governance forum , implemented by the World Bank and the OECD to improve the institutional framework and good governance practices within businesses.
    • The Global Compact , a global agreement set up by the United Nations for the respect of basic rights and the environment.
Last update in April 2013