The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has secured a $100-million loan facility from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), earmarked for energy, water, transport and information and communication technology infrastructure across Africa.
The DBSA aims to continue to advance development on the continent by expanding access to development finance and catalysing infrastructure investments and, therefore, effectively integrating and implementing sustainable development solutions.
The extension of infrastructure financing to the rest of Africa emerged as a new area of cooperation for AFD and DBSA, taking the partnership to a “new level”.
“AFD wishes to support the growth of a strategic partner for the African continent by providing financial resources adapted to its needs, strengthening the operational partnership in the identification, prospecting and cofinancing with AFD and its private sector subsidiary Proparco, and strengthening DBSA's capacity to integrate climate change in its financing activity,” AFD CEO Rémy Rioux said in a statement.
“This new credit line and expanded partnership with DBSA in favour of sustainable infrastructure financing is at the crux of our strategy in Africa. We aim to finance and exchange expertise on projects that enhance sustainable development goals.”