The Agence Française de Développement
The Agence Française de Développement (AFD) is the principal executive agency of project aid within the framework of the French bilateral development assistance. It operates in the sub-Saharan Africa, the Maghreb, the Pacific, Asia, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East. These countries are within the Priority Solidarity Area benefiting from the French development aid. AFD is also involved in Overseas France.
As a financial institution, AFD provides Governments and companies in the public sector with credits in the form of grants or loans designed to finance economic and social infrastructure and productive investment projects which lay the foundations of sustainable growth and contribute to the reduction of poverty.
In order to meet its priority requirements, AFD also offers concessional and non-concessional loans while expanding its non sovereign loan activity to help its partners to implement sustainable development concepts and to integrate environmental, social and economic concerns into their companies and project activities.
Its subsidiary, PROPARCO which stands for “Promotion et Participation pour la Coopération Economique” is a development finance institution dedicated to financing private investment in developing countries for growth, sustainable development and achieving the Millennium Goals. PROPARCO offers financial assistance in the form of equity investments, long term loans and guarantees, either directly to the beneficiaries or via credit facilities in foreign currency provided to local commercial banks, for projects that are economically viable, socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and financially profitable.
AFD also provides decision-makers and managers from the countries where it operates with access to the Centre for Financial, Economic and Banking Studies (CEFEB ), which delivers high standard technical training in banking, management and finance.
The French Global Environment Facility (FGEF) , managed by AFD, encourages initiatives in favour of the protection of biodiversity and international waters or combating global warming, to reconcile economic and social development with conservation of the global environment.
AFD in numbers
With 60 offices abroad and 1,306 agents, AFD is active in more than 60 countries throughout the world. In foreign countries, AFD’s financial commitments reached 3.5 billion euros in 2007.
Africa was the main beneficiary, receiving 50% of the financial aid, followed by the Mediterranean countries with 34% and the Asian countries, which received 14% of the aid. In Overseas France, AFD’s commitments reached 390 million euros.
AFD’s commitments increased by 12% between 2006 and 2007.
Publications
Strategic orientation plan of AFD 2007-2011