Geographical priorities

Financing tailored to countries’ development situations

• France is focusing its solidarity efforts, via subsidies and grants, to a limited number of priority countries, all of which are Least Developed Countries (LDCs), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Since the CICID of 2018, there are now 19 priority countries on the list. These countries make up the main challenge in terms of the financing needed to achieve SDGs, as their ability to finance basic infrastructure investment is limited. These priority countries receive half of State subsidies and two-thirds of the subsidies implemented by the AFD;
• in middle-income countries, France focuses on loans, which it uses to mobilize other financial contributions. It has developed a wide range of instruments with non-sovereign actors, particularly the private sector, local government and civil society.

19 priority countries and specific focus on Africa

France focuses its solidarity funding on providing subsidies to 19 priority countries, all of which are Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, with specific focus on Africa.

All these countries, with the exception of Haiti, are located in continental Africa. They receive the most concessional financing, receiving half of State subsidies and two-thirds of AFD subsidies.

As a priority it has committed to:

• dealing with situations of fragility and ensuring peace and stability;
• supporting the major cause of the President’s term which is gender equality;
• boosting efforts for education and vocational training;
• tackling climate change and biodiversity;
• maintaining resolute action to improve healthcare.

Africa as a priority

In 2020, 39% of France’s bilateral ODA went to Africa (€3.6 billion), 80% of which (€2.9 billion) went to sub-Saharan Africa.

France has chosen to allocate at least 75% of State financing to subsidies and loans (excluding debt cancellation) and at least 85% of AFD financing to the Africa and Mediterranean region. Furthermore, in the 2014-2020 period, through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), to which France has contributed 17.8%, €17 billion has been allocated to finance sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa (from a total budget of €30.5 billion).

Updated: January 2021