Overseas France

In addition to financing projects aimed at public and private stakeholders, AFD provides public authorities in Overseas France with engineering and capacity-building expertise. The Overseas Fund (FOM) was allocated €17 million in 2024 by the French Ministry of the Overseas, to facilitate the seed funding process for investment projects and directly build the capacities of local authorities through technical assistance, and particularly through recruitment operations led by its subsidiary, Expertise France.

AFD has adopted a unique strategic position in Overseas France based on promoting the integration of these 12 overseas territories into their regional environment, while also increasing their resilience and supporting sustainable development. In 2024, AFD financed 15 regional projects targeting French Overseas Territories, thus strengthening relations with neighboring countries across the three ocean basins (the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean). The Three Oceans strategy developed by AFD is centered around this basin-oriented approach, while enhancing regional cooperation. It promotes the sharing of experience and solutions in French Overseas Territories to tackle common challenges (such as climate change, health care, biodiversity protection, and so on).

AFD Group is also building the resilience of French Overseas Territories against environmental and social crises. In 2024, 40% of projects financed in the French Overseas Territories had a positive impact in terms of climate change. AFD also supports the French government in providing an emergency response to crises. In Mayotte, after Cyclone Chido left devastation in its wake, AFD quickly helped assess the damage and partnered with local authorities to launch the reconstruction effort. In New Caledonia, it served as the government's key partner in supporting structural reform, mobilizing all the tools at its disposal (from technical support to financial expertise) to stimulate economic recovery and restore social cohesion.