The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region stretches south of the Mediterranean from Morocco to Egypt and east of the Mediterranean from Yemen via the countries of the Arabian Peninsula to Syria. The situation in the countries varies. The Middle East continues to be characterised by conflicts, most recently by the escalation of the Middle East conflict. The civil wars in Syria since 2011 and in Yemen since 2014 continue, with serious consequences for the humanitarian situation on the ground. This is compounded by the economic and political crisis in Lebanon; Egypt and Tunisia are also struggling with a variety of economic challenges. In Iraq, on the other hand, the situation has stabilised, even if there is still a high potential for conflict.
On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and, in Iraq, also on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office, KfW Development Bank is supporting reforms, democratic processes and economic growth wherever possible. The mostly young population in particular needs prospects: Education, training places and more jobs. This is why KfW is promoting employment and vocational training projects in Egypt, for example. Since the war in Syria, many people have fled to neighbouring countries, especially Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, which also has to cope with a large number of internally displaced persons. KfW supports measures for employment and basic services for refugees and the host communities. Another core topic of KfW's commitment is the management of water resources, for example through more efficient use of resources and improved access to urban water supply and sanitation. The establishment and expansion of a renewable energy supply is a high priority. KfW also supports access to needs-based financial services.
KfW Development Bank has been active in the MENA region for over 50 years. Commitments for the MENA region totalled around EUR 1.3 billion in 2023. The active portfolio in the Middle East and North Africa region totals around EUR 14 billion.
