News
Increasing Access to Essential Services in Burundi
An estimated 15% of Burundi’s population is food insecure and many lack reliable access to essential services. AFD is backing the improvement of services in a variety of sectors, from health and educa...
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Fighting for Female Farmers in West Africa
In Côte d’Ivoire, two-thirds of rural women work in agriculture, but as many as 75% of them live below the poverty line. They also face physical and other forms of violence. For the past three years,...
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African Start-ups Awarded for Innovations at Digital Energy Challenge
Nine start-ups and energy companies have been awarded for creating new ways to modernize Africa’s energy sector. The companies are providing innovative ways to improve access to electricity, boosting...
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From West Africa to the Mid-East, Youth learn to Navigate Delicate Climate Negotiations
The world is watching as COP28 delegates in Dubai discuss the fallout from climate change, possible solutions and nettlesome questions of funding. Also observing are young people who will inherit the...
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5 Flagship Projects that are Restoring Nature around the Planet
Close to 40% of the world’s land is degraded, according to the UN, which has made the need to protect biodiversity all the more urgent. AFD Group is convinced that biodiversity conservation and the fi...
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Tackling Inequality and Climate Change Simultaneously in South Africa
“No country should have to choose between tackling poverty and preserving the planet,” French President Emmanuel Macron told the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact this summer. It’s a sentiment...
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Improving Access to Water and Sanitation for millions in Ethiopia
World Toilet Day on November 19 highlights the dangers of lacking sanitary facilities, and the search for sustainable solutions. With an estimated 419 million people practising "open defecation" world...
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Toilets are Producing Energy in East Africa's Largest Informal Settlement
Around the world, some 3.5 billion people are living without safe toilets, and close to 1,000 children under five die every day due to a lack of sanitation facilities. Ahead of World Toilet Day this S...
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Mauritius: Africa’s First Multisport Olympic Academy to Train World Class Athletes
A grueling regime of close to four hours of training per day. Coaching in sports ranging from judo to soccer, as well as in nutrition and leadership. It’s all part of a program to train youngsters for...
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Sport Impact Summit: Striving for Excellence with Sports and Development
In the approach to the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal’s capital city will also host the first ever sport and development summit on African soil. From November 5-7, the Sport Impact Summit...
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Working towards Food Security in West Africa: 5 AFD Group Projects
In 2023, nearly 43 million people will face food shortages in West Africa – four times higher than over the last ten years. In the approach to World Food Day on October 16, we focus on five AFD Group-...
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Making Water Accessible in Uganda's low-income Districts
Half of the more than 4 million residents of Uganda’s capital, Kampala live in informal settlements that lack adequate drinking water and sanitation. In the Kisenyi district, access to water taps has...
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Choose Africa 2: Ramping up Support for African Entrepreneurs
The Choose Africa initiative has been so successful in supporting African companies and entrepreneurs that it has led to a sequel. In line with France’s commitment to renew its relations with African...
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"Cultural and Creative Industries Promote Employment and Social Cohesion"
On October 6-8 in Paris, the first Création Africa forum for cultural and creative industries (CCI) will feature fast-growing sectors such as TV series, animation, video games, and comics. How does AF...
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Exploring History, Heritage and Culture in Southern Africa
A country’s collective memory is an important part of its identity and evolution. AFD is backing cultural and creative initiatives that play a crucial role in bringing to life countries’ history and h...
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Improving Living Conditions for Older Kenyans
With senior Kenyans experiencing high rates of poverty and food insecurity, the government has introduced the Cash Transfer Program for Older Persons, a universal income for people aged over 70. To su...
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Relieving Water Stress in Uganda by Building Vital Infrastructure
Water stress is worsening in southwestern Uganda every year. People spend hours waiting in line for water without knowing whether any will be left when it’s their turn. Divers plunge underwater to unb...
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Africa on the Front Lines of Climate Change
Africa contributes a mere fraction of the world's greenhouse gases, but it's warming faster than the global average. What is the impact of climate change on the continent? And what can we expect in th...
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How do we Measure Adaptation to Climate Change?
Since 2015, AFD Group has stepped up its commitment to initiatives that boost adaptation to climate change. A recent evaluation of 35 projects with an "adaptation" component in sub-Saharan Africa enab...
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Taking the Leap: the Cutting-Edge Development Banks Aligning their Activities with the SDGs
At the halfway point to the 2030 deadline, the world is far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Public development banks however, can play a crucial role. Ahead of the UN General Assembl...
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