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"Being a client of AFD means working with a Reliable Partner"
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Who are AFD Group's clients and how do they view their relationship with AFD? Whether in the city, in rural areas or working with young entrepreneurs, they explain how their partnership with the Group has helped them, what they are trying to accomplish in the field, and what their aims are for the future.
AFD Group works actively in over 150 countries and 11 French Overseas Territories and Departments on key development issues, including climate and biodiversity, gender equality, peace-building, education and health. With more than 4,000 projects in the field, the Group contributes to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its operations are fully aligned with the Paris Agreement.
AFD Group leads initiatives to support its customers, and since January 1, 2022, has provided them with access to a financial and technical operational platform, via the inclusion of Expertise France. AFD supports its customers from project inception to completion.
Who are AFD’s customers?
They are organizations from the public and private sector and civil society, such as governments and institutions, local authorities, NGOs, private companies and donors.
These entities, with their varied cultures, skills and profiles, all have the same objective: to meet the real needs of their target population, whether in terms of human rights, economic and social development, or the fight against climate change.
How do customers view their relationship with AFD Group?
At the end of 2021, an initial survey was conducted in collaboration with Ipsos France, consisting of a survey and qualitative interviews with 1,000 customers.
Participants highlighted the strength of their partnership with AFD Group (“it’s not just a window but a partner”), its understanding of the issues at stake and its influence (“financing capacity that is synonymous with action”), as well as the need for technical support and capacity-building, in addition to financing.
The most commonly-cited areas for improvement were the streamlining and adaptation of procedures and more involvement in AFD’s strategic planning.
In this regard, some 20 customers from around the world, including representatives of technical ministries, companies, public and private financial institutions and local authorities, met at AFD’s Paris headquarters in January. They expressed their views on their relationship with AFD and their hopes for the future. What follows are some selected quotations.
What does "being an AFD customer" mean to you?
"Being an AFD customer is about being able to implement AFD’s strategy in the field, working with a reliable partner that provides technical expertise and financing to help further development in our respective countries. It’s also a long-term strategic partnership, characterized by an open outlook on the world and focused on sustainable development activities."
- Avinash Ramessur, Mauritius, Local Coordinator of the Sunref (Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Energy Finance) Program
Which flagship project of yours is supported by AFD Group?
"The Resco project, a cotton system resilience program, is being developed across the Ivorian cotton-growing basin. It involves creating systems adapted to climate change while overcoming productivity issues."
- Bernard Comoé, Côte d'Ivoire, Managing Director of Planning, Statistics and Projects at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
"As a result of our work with AFD over the past ten years, the financial support, and also AFD's expertise, in Izmir we have built tramways, acquired car ferries that help reduce traffic jams, and launched our flagship project to expand the metro network in a very densely populated district to transport 400,000 people per day."
- Onur Eryuce, Turkey, Advisor to the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality
"I’m a representative for Sunref, AFD’s green finance program, which is a credit line for the private sector in Mauritius. Beneficiary companies have used this financing to launch greener operations, and over 200 projects have been supported in total. These include “Energie des Mascareignes”, a company in the fishing industry. In the past, all the waste went back into the sea. Today, as a result of AFD financing, these waste products can be used to produce biogas. This helps to reduce the organization’s environmental footprint."
- Avinash Ramessur, Mauritius
As a customer, what are your aims for 2023?
"In Curitiba, our main objective is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, so this goal guides all of our actions. This target is integrated into every project we design. Our aim is to create a resilient city for our citizens."
- Ana Zornig Jayme, Brazil, Investment Manager for the Institute of Research and Urban Planning of Curitiba
"There must be continuity in AFD's actions that goes beyond programs, with a focus on the long term. We need to maintain the momentum, so that countries can continue the work started by AFD."
- Avinash Ramessur, Mauritius
How can we improve the partnership between AFD and its clients and partners?
"Project governance procedures could be simplified to make it easier to deliver projects on schedule."
- Bernard Comoé, Côte d'Ivoire
"AFD’s expertise and know-how are highly appreciated, but this expertise should be transferred to local institutions more extensively and peer-to-peer learning should be further developed."
- Onur Eryuce, Turkey
"More pragmatism, contextualized approaches and faster implementation. Things are moving so rapidly today that we need a partner who can keep up the pace with requirements and speed of delivery."
- Avinash Ramessur, Mauritius