Sales Markets for Africa
Together with Deutsche Bank, KfW Entwicklungsbank established the Africa Agriculture and Trade Investment Fund (AATIF) for African enterprises and farmers. The provision of loans, guarantees and equity will help ensure the income of African entrepreneurs and improve their competitiveness.
Rubber farming creates prosperity
In Ghana KfW Entwicklungsbank supports market-oriented agriculture. A new fund promotes the cooperation among small-scale farmers, private enterprises and banks. Initially, KfW Entwicklungsbank will contribute ten million euros to the "Outgrower and Value Chain Fund", a further 23 million euros were committed during bilateral government negotiations. The concept has already stood the test in rubber farming.
Development Banks support climate fund
Nineteen leading investment banks have come together to support poor nations in the fight against climate change. At the UN Climate Change conference in Durban, South Africa, the banks - which have joined forces as the International Development Finance Club (IDFC) - agreed to expand funding for the "Green Climate Fund", and set up a "smart partnership" for this purpose. The IDFC, of which KfW Entwicklungsbank is a member, was founded in September this year.
Power From the Desert
The heat of the desert as an energy source: at Ouarzazate in the south of Morocco, the country’s first large-scale solar plant is under construction. Representatives from KfW Entwicklungsbank and MASEN, the Moroccan solar energy agency, have signed a 15 million euros contract for a 160 megawatt solar power plant.
Agreement With the Foreign Office
For many years now, the German Foreign Ministry has been an important strategic partner for KfW Entwicklungsbank. Since 2001 over 30 projects have been implemented, mostly for work in Afghanistan, with a total value of around 290 million euros. A separate set of regulations governing collaboration with the Ministry has now been established. Norbert Kloppenburg, Member of the Executive Board of KfW, signed the accord in Berlin.
Partnership in Development Cooperation
Development Cooperation should be made even more effective. In pursuit of this aim, Heads of State and Ministers from over 60 countries met in Busan, South Korea, and agreed on a new "Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation". This reaffirms and reinforces the principles already adopted in Paris (in 2005) and in Accra, Ghana (in 2008). Representatives from KfW Entwicklungsbank also took part in the conference.
Climate Protection on Two Wheels
Leaving the car and going instead by bus, train or bicycle makes a major contribution to climate protection. For this reason KfW Entwicklungsbank, on behalf of the German Government, is supporting the expansion of non-motorised transport in South Africa, to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions. The project has just been presented at the UN Climate Conference in Durban.
The role of elites in Africa
The actions of elites determine development in many countries. It frames the conditions for politics, the economy and society. Elites should contribute to their countries developing in a positive way. But do elites always act in this way? "The country needs new leadership?! The role of elites in Africa" was the title of the 61st Berlin Expert Talk on globalisation held by KfW Entwicklungsbank and the Hanns-Seidel Foundation.
