devinitorg/iati-policy-markers huggingface dataset:
Business Partners International (Proprietary) Limited The proposed project is to establish a fund management operation, Business Partners International (BPI or the company), as the basis for expanding the Business Partners SME financing model to other Sub-Saharan African countries.  The project is designed to support IFCs strategy to develop financing vehicles capable of providing funding and technical support to SMEs on commercial terms and in a sustainable manner.  

Although the SME sector is the engine of economic development in most countries, funding SMEs in the developing world has suffered from three main obstacles:  

-  because of the absence or under-development of real property rights or ownership in many developing countries, it is difficult for borrowers to provide collateral against loans and even more difficult for banks to enforce claims over the collateral;  
-  since most SMEs are lifestyle businesses and small in scale, there is limited upside potential for the equity investor; and 
-  the small size of SMEs means that the costs associated with identifying, processing and monitoring an investment are very high relative to the size of the investment, making most SMEs unattractive for investors.

The project will overcome these obstacles by using quasi-equity instruments that do not necessarily require full collateralization and by using efficient processing and monitoring systems that will improve cost efficiencies.  The project is also designed to support IFCs development of the SME Solutions Center (SSC) network across Africa.  BPI fund management companies in Africa will be co-located within the SSCs to maximize synergies in developing deal flow and providing technical assistance services.
It is expected that initially BPI will establish 3 pilot-phase single-country funds in each of Madagascar (8.5 million or equivalent of $10.0 million), Kenya ($15 million) and a third country in Sub-Saharan Africa to be determined ($10 million) to provide local currency financing for SMEs and to manage a technical assistance facility that will provide technical support and advice to investee companies in each country.
Africa Real Estate Platform The proposed investment involves IFCs participation in the establishment of and the first capital raise for the Africa Real Estate Platform (AREP), an investment platform, which will acquire (and in certain instances develop) and manage a portfolio of income producing commercial properties in Africa. It is expected that, after several rounds of capital raising and deployment, AREP will reach an optimal size for an initial public offering (IPO) on a major stock exchange and convert into a form analogous to a real estate investment trust (REIT), which will achieve liquidity within 5-7 years. AREP is conceived to become one of the first REITs in SSA and the first Africa-focused collective investment vehicle designed to ramp up to a size feasible for a major stock exchange listing. AREP will target multiple countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region and will provide institutional investors, including African pension funds, with an opportunity for diversification. AREP will comprise: (i) an investment holding company (HoldCo), which will pool investors funds and use them to acquire income producing commercial properties in target African countries; and (ii) an asset management company (ManCo), which will manage HoldCos assets on commercial terms. Investors returns will come from rental cash flows of the property portfolio, as well as from capital appreciation. The proposed project is expected to have strong development impacts. AREP will contribute to the development of capital markets in SSA and bring about positive effects on its clients in target countries. Specifically, the creation of AREP and its eventual conversion into a REIT listed on a major stock exchange will encourage capital inflows from international and regional institutional investors into SSA, as well as overall development of more liquid, diversified and sophisticated financial markets in the region. Further, through improving management practices at its properties and through developing new properties in SSA, AREP will contribute to improving the quality of business infrastructure in the region. The limited availability of high quality business infrastructure has been identified as a constraint to private sector and economic development throughout the African continent, and the modern efficient business infrastructure developed with AREP''s support in its target countries will (a) serve as a catalyst for local urban development; (b) result in improved business efficiencies, reduced operational costs and waste in the supply chain; and (c) cultivate linkages with a broad range of local businesses.
Microfinance Initiative for Subsahara Africa The Microfinance Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa (MIFSSA) is an investment and technical assistance program designed to achieve an accelerated expansion of sustainable microfinance services for low-income micro-entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa. The MIFSSA, undertaken in collaboration with and co-funded by KfW, would provide investment and technical assistance resources to enable the set-up of up to seven professionally-managed greenfield microfinance institutions in five Sub-Saharan African countries.  To overcome the lack of microfinance management capacity in many African countries, these new institutions will rely on the participation of experienced microfinance operators for their management. This will ensure that the new microfinance institutions are operated under commercial standards to enable and sustain continued expansion of lending activities. It is expected that each microfinance institution created under MIFSSA will serve approximately 8,000 clients within 3 years of creation, with further portfolio growth estimated at around 25% per year.
RMB Westport II The proposed project involves a $40 million equity investment in RMB Westport Real Estate Development Fund II (RMB 2 or the Fund) managed by RMB Westport Investments Limited (RMB Westport or RMBW or the Manager. RMB 2 is seeking to raise US$450 million from Limited Partners (LPs) to develop retail, office and industrial properties in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), primarily Nigeria, Ghana, Angola and Ivory Coast.  The Fund is a successor to RMB Westport Real Estate Development Fund I (RMB1 or Fund 1), a 2012 vintage, US$256 million retail and office property development fund with investments in Nigeria, Ghana and Angola. (i) Economic Development: the Fund will help address the short supply of quality commercial real estate and provide increased access to quality business infrastructure critical for economic growth in SSA; (ii) Capacity Building: the Fund will enable the introduction and the implementation of best practices in terms of environmental and life and safety standards; building construction methods; project management; and quality of completed facilitites, contributing to the improvement of overall quality standards of business and retail infrastructure in key markets of SSA;  (iii) Job creation: the Fund will foster the creation of direct and indirect jobs both during construction and operation of the commercial properties in the target markets; and (iv) Linkages: the Fund will enable the expansion of essential retail infrastructure in SSA thus improving access to quality products and services for the consumers through the introduction of higher standards and more efficient operations, as well as improved supply chains.
Alios Finance The project seeks to deepen and broaden financial services for small and medium enterprise (SME) in sub-Saharan Africa by supporting the expansion of Alios Finance, S.A. (Alios Finance), a leasing, equipment rental, investment lending, and consumer finance group whose founders have over 50 years of experience in asset finance in the region.  The project aims to  support the expansion of Alios Finance into East Africa by providing a financing package of up to $10.2 million in combined senior debt and equity to its greenfield leasing subsidiaries in Tanzania and Kenya, and a proposed advisory services package to strengthen Alios Finances operations as well as the business environment for leasing in the region.  To date, SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa have significant unmet demand for term financing for equipment and other assets.  The project proposes to support a seasoned leasing group that would be well positioned to respond to the demand for asset finance in the region. By supporting the expansion of this strong vehicle and equipment leasing, long-term rental, and consumer finance company into new markets such as the Tanzania and Kenya, IFC will improve access to financing for SMEs and job-producing companies in both countries.  Participating in this expansion will enable IFC to add value to the project, based on its presence in the new markets, and its leasing experience in advisory services, legislative advisory services, and financial services in the region.  The project is expected to have a strong development impact in the following areas:  i.) Enhance Alios Finances ability to deepen access to financial services for SMEs in Kenya and Tanzania; ii.) Increase Alios Finances access to local currency financing; and; iii.) Subject to diagnostic work, strengthen the business environment for leasing in the region.
Africa Go Green Africa Go Green (AGG or the Fund) is a dedicated pan-African greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction debt fund, established by KFW with the support from the German Government (BMZ). AGG primarily focuses on Energy Efficiency (EE) and Renewable Energy (RE) opportunities, with a prioritization on West African countries. AGG is raising up to US$250 million capital comprised of debt, senior equity and junior equity. AGG will provide medium to long-term debt, mezzanine financing, and guarantees as well as technical assistance (TA) for green housing, green appliances, industrial energy efficiency and green mobility sectors. AGG will fund decarbonization efforts in various sectors including (i) housing, (ii) e-mobility, (iii) manufacturing or industrial facilities, and (iv)  energy efficiency appliances, such as clean cooking solutions. Furthermore, IFC expects the Fund to attract additional investment to these sectors by demonstrating the viability of green investments in Sub-Saharan Africa. With new entrants in the market, IFC expects the Fund to foster a deeper integration of target countries firms to global financial markets.
Liquid Telecom Bond Liquid Telecommunications Holdings Limited (Liquid or the Company) is the leading pan-African provider of wholesale voice, wholesale data and internet protocol (IP) services. The company invited IFC to: (i) participate in its new bond offering to up to US$100 million (the Bond), and (ii) provide up to US$75 million (ZAR equivalent) of an IFC A Loan (Term Loan), to fully refinance the companys existing Eurobond and revolving credit facilities (the Project). The Bond was subscribed to during February 2021, with the Term Loan to follow in the coming months.     The investment aims at freeing up Liquids current debt stock to unlock more free cash flow for capital expansion plans across Africa over the next few years. Such expansion includes furthering Liquids fiber network and digital footprint of services across markets including DRC, Angola, South Sudan, Nigeria and such other markets as deemed appropriate from time to time. The Bond raise allows for the necessary capex expansion plans to be funded over the next few years and contribute to Liquid remaining active and competitive in the Pan-African markets they operate in. The Project is expected to increase the capacity of broadband networks across several countries in Africa, potentially resulting in increased access to quality broadband internet for individuals and businesses. Beyond the Project, this investment will contribute to maintaining the competitiveness of the markets for broadband internet across Africa by providing access to shared broadband infrastructure to all retail operators under open access and a nondiscriminatory basis.
Africa Re Project The proposed project intends to strengthen and expand the operational capacity of the African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re or the company), the only African-based, pan-African reinsurance company.  The project presents an excellent opportunity for IFC to support both the development of the leading locally based reinsurance provider in Africa and provide critical support to the growth of a healthy primary insurance market across the continent.     The purpose of Africa Re, as defined in Article 3 of the Establishment Agreement is to foster the development of the insurance and reinsurance industry in Africa, to promote the growth of national, regional and sub-regional underwriting and retention capacities and to support African economic development.    To implement its purpose the Africa Re carries out the following functions:     - transacts reinsurance business through treaty and facultative cessions,   - creates and administers pools,    - assists in the establishment of national, regional and sub-regional insurance and reinsurance institutions,   - invests its funds in African countries in a manner that promotes the continents development,    - provides technical assistance to African countries, and    - promotes contacts and business co-operation among insurance and reinsurance institutions.
African Development Partners I, LLC African Development Partners I, LLC ("ADP I", or the "Fund"), is a pan African private equity fund which makes privately negotiated equity and equity related investments in high growth African companies with a particular focus on post-conflict and recently liberalized countries. - Encouraging economic development impact in general and private sector development in particular, by investing in high-growth companies, which is expected to lead to above-average rates of job creation; - Providing much needed growth and expansion capital and value enhancing advice to companies located in frontier markets throughout Africa; - Improving companies'' sustainable development by helping to implement best practice corporate governance and environmental and social standards; and - Paying particular attention to companies located in post-conflict and newly liberalizing countries which are facing difficulty attracting investors'' attention due to negative perceptions of stability and growth prospects.
Helios Investors III, L.P. The proposed project is for an IFC equity investment of up to US$25.0 million in Helios Investors III, LP (Helios III or the Fund), a 10 year closed-end fund seeking to raise US$1.0 billion. The Fund strategy will be to build market-leading, diversified platform companies operating in the core economic sectors of key markets, with an emphasis on portfolio operations as a creator of value. The core investment themes Helios has developed include the rise of the urban consumer; financial inclusion/ formalization; growing intra-regional trade and import substitution; addressing the infrastructure deficit; and the potential revolution in agriculture. The Fund is expected to have significant development impact on its investees by: - providing them with risk capital and strategic advice in their growth and expansion plans; - implementing best practice Environmental, Social and Governance standards at both the Fund and investee company level.
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         The proposed project (the Project) consists of a senior revolving loan to an SPV managed by Barak Fund Management Ltd (Barak) to provide trade and commodity finance to enterprises operating in Africa. The loan proceeds would invest alongside Barak's short-term African trade and commodity funds; the Project will focus primarily on supporting SMEs in the agricultural sector, although other sectors, such as consumer goods, will also be financed. The Project is expected to have high development impact in the following areas: (i) Supporting SMEs and agricultural development:  Many African economies are highly reliant on the sale to and purchase from international markets for many strategic crops, foodstuffs and commodities to support their economic growth. By financing these suppliers and buyers, Barak provides critical liquidity to allow SMEs in agricultural and other value chains to support growth, increase employment and reduce poverty; (ii) Increasing access to finance for low-income and fragile/conflict-affected markets: Barak's on-the-ground presence in Sub-saharan African countries and extensive experience in structured trade products, the fund is able to offer specialized financial products to clients and markets that are underserved by traditional bank credit. The Project will enable Barak to extend additional financing in these hard-to-reach segments and markets.
GTLP II Commerz The project (ID 29923) is for IFC and partners ((through IFC) other development finance institutions, DFIs) to assume an unfunded trade finance risk participation for up to $175 million in the Continental Africa trade finance portfolio of Commerzbank AG, a bank incorporated in Germany, and located at Kaiserplatz, 60261 Frankfurt am Main Germany, structured under IFC Global Trade Liquidity Program (GTLP) Initiative.   GTLP which was originally started as part of IFCs multi-faceted global financial crisis response offers both funded and unfunded solutions (GTLP-G).  GTLP provides IFC with a flexible platform from which to support the extension of funded and unfunded trade products to under-served clients globally.  GTLP-G is an extension of the GTLP and seeks to offer unfunded solutions. It has high relevance for Africa where unfunded transactions are both typical and where there is need for unfunded participations. The proposed investment will be leveraged with resources from other DFIs as well as Commerzbank AG, a partner with an established footprint in emerging markets trade finance. The project is expected to have a significant development impact by increasing the availability of unfunded solutions (i.e. guarantees) for trade of consumer goods, intermediate goods, smaller machinery, and commodities demanded by enterprises in Africa.  IFCs global franchise (in particular on the African continent) in financial markets will be critical to the projects success in leveraging trade volumes, expanding to new markets, and mobilizing any requisite funding support (i.e. guarantees) to enable the continued support for trade.
Afrimax Limited Afrimax Limited (Afrimax or the Company) is a private holding company headquartered in Netherlands.  The Company has been positioning itself to become a leading broadband service operator in Sub-Saharan Africa in the next five years.  Afrimaxs operations will help to bring last mile communication solutions to the unserved and underserved African population, allowing them to benefit from fast and reliable internet access.  The Companys wireless networks will be offering various value added services to both corporate and individual customers, thereby making business and personal communications as well as access to information and entertainment substantially easier.  The Project consists of build out and launch of the Companys wireless broadband operations in Rwanda and Uganda, using Long Term Evolution (LTE), the latest wireless communication technology standard.  Afrimax has already acquired licenses and spectrum assets across 14 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and is exploring the acquisition of licenses in additional 7 countries. Private Sector Development:  Through participation in the Project, IFC will support one of the emerging private players in Africa broadband telecommunication sector thereby contributing to further development of the business entrepreneurship on the continent.  Promotion of Regional Integration in Submarine Cable Broadband Markets: The submarine cable networks along the African coast are currently not fully utilized, and Afrimax'' operations will facilitate the ultimate deployment of international broadband capacity generated by these networks.  Ultimately, it will result in reduction in wholesale and retail bandwidth costs for business and individual consumers. Further Economic Growth: According to the World Bank studies, a 10% increase in broadband penetration supplies a 1.5% increase to GDP.  Further, broadband impacts various sectors including education, health care, financial services as well as government activities.  Therefore, the Project will indirectly contribute to further economic growth in the countries of operation.
ETC Group Project IFC financing will be to support the medium-term expansion of ETC Group, registered in Mauritius, (ETC or the Company). ETC is an agro-commodity trader with a presence in Eastern and Southern Africa, the United Arab Emirates, India, USA, Singapore and the United Kingdom through 38 direct subsidiaries.  The Project entails supporting the Companys medium-to long-term growth strategy of: (i) expansion of market share in existing commodities through additional upcountry origination, trade and logistics infrastructure; (ii) expansion into new countries in Asia and West Africa; and (iii) increased revenues from processing through investments in new processing lines. The proposed project will allow ETC to expand its operations and will have important development impacts. In particular: (i) ETC will (a) offer larger financially viable outlets for some 60,000 small farmers and help reduce post-harvest losses while improving product quality; and (b) contribute to the creation of more efficient regional markets for agro-commodities in Eastern and Southern Africa; (ii) employment creation; (iii) significant revenues are expected to accrue to rural communities as the result of increased commodity purchases and linkages with local businesses and small-sized contractors in rural areas will contribute to spur economic growth; and (iv) there will be incremental income tax for project host governments.
Afren Project Afren plc (Afren or the company) is a newly-established independent exploration and production (E&P) company with an exclusive focus on Africa. It plans to engage initially in the highly-prospective Gulf of Guinea, as a platform for longer-term penetration throughout Africas hydrocarbon provinces. The company is currently raising seed financing to fund its establishment and initial operating costs.
MainstreamAfrica The proposed project is an equity investment of up to US$40 million in Mainstream Renewable Power Africa Holdings Limited (the Company), which has been established by Mainstream Renewable Power Limited (Mainstream or the Sponsor) with the sole purpose of holding a direct 40% interest in a pan-African renewable energy platform, Lekela Power B.V (Lekela), itself a 40:60 joint venture between Mainstream and Actis Capital LLP (Actis), a private equity firm focused on emerging markets. Lekela expects to deliver 1GW of utility-scale wind and solar projects in Africa over the next five years. The project''s positive development impact includes: (a) increasing access to electricity in Africa through the planned addition of approximately 1GW of power to the grid over the next 5 years; (b) demonstrating the viability of renewable energy independent power projects in Africa; and (c) environmental benefits from carbon emission reduction brought about by increased investment in renewable energy as well as the benefits from diversifying countries'' energy mixes and reducing reliance on fossil fuel-fired plants.