East Africa Regional Office

The East Africa regional office is based in Nairobi and covers 11 countries in the region: Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Historically focused on infrastructure, public services, and urban development, AFD Group’s activity in East Africa has recently been extended to human services, governance and digital technology. The Group’s strategy aims to promote inclusive and sustainable prosperity in Africa’s most populous region. It focuses on three priorities:

Promote the balanced and sustainable and development of the region

The territorial and ecological transition is expected to improve living conditions for everyone, and to enable a shift from extensive urban growth to a denser use of space, from expansion of cultivated land to ecological intensification, and from excessive water consumption to an optimized and concerted usage. One of AFD Group’s priorities in East Africa is the promotion of attractive territories that capitalize on their natural resources over time, and that are resilient to climate change.

The projects supported in the region thus contribute to access to essential services (e.g. green energy, water, sanitation, transport, technology). We also promote sustainable and inclusive cities as well as better management of natural resources and protection of biodiversity.

Support the diversification and integration of East African economies

Supporting the diversification and integration of economies can encourage more inclusive and sustainable development. This transformation would make it possible to strengthen value creation and diversify exports by capitalizing on the countries’ strengths. It thus promotes the creation of more productive and gainful jobs. AFD Group supports the structural transformation of East African economies by supporting economic stakeholders, strengthening local value chains, and consolidating regional integration.

Strengthen social cohesion, protect the population, and support young people

There can be no sustainable development without taking into account the aspirations of individuals and of peoples, or without understanding the tensions at work within society. East Africa is marked by particularly low human development indicators, significant social disparities, including gender inequality, and population displacements which are all factors of fragility and destabilization.

AFD Group has made social cohesion and protection of the population its third main objective in the region. It is committed to developing quality, affordable healthcare and education services that are accessible to the most vulnerable groups, with a particular focus on gender equality. It supports access to employment and financial inclusion, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized populations. We also support institutions and initiatives that seek to encourage solidarity in East Africa, to promote the coexistence of different social groups on a national level and to facilitate the integration of displaced populations.

In conjunction with these action priorities, AFD ensures that each of its interventions incorporates cross-cutting issues. As part of its 100% Social Link commitment, the Group ensures that all its activities help to strengthen social cohesion between populations and countries and help to promote gender equality. It also ensures that all financing is 100% compatible with the commitments of the Paris Agreement, i.e. that it contributes to sustainable, resilient and low-carbon development.