Partners

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BIO relies on partners to benefit from their experience and presence on the ground as well as to run co-financing projects.

Its close links with large international donors allow it to also work as a catalyst by mobilising additional capital.

EDFI

BIO has been a member of EDFI (European Development Finance Institutions) since 2001. EDFI is an association of 15 European bilateral Development Finance Institutions. Its mission is to foster cooperation among its members and to strengthen their relationship with the institutions of the European Union, principally with the European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB). EDFI sets out to create synergies between the various institutions, to develop joint procedures and to pinpoint the investment opportunities that can lead to co-financing.

In 2004, ten members of the EDFI concluded a framework agreement with the EIB in order to create the EFP (European Financing Partners), a European initiative based in Luxembourg. The funds given to the EFP are used to finance SME projects in the ACP countries. Via EFP, BIO has strengthened its partnerships with other Development Finance Institutions, in particular the EIB, and expanded its presence in Africa.

 

CDE

BIO has signed a collaboration agreement with the CDE, (Centre for the Development of Companies).
This partnership aims to seek out, select and support entrepreneurs who need financing in the ACP countries. The CDE benefits from a vast network, knowledge on the ground and good technical knowledge of the fields of our clients. Some projects have already been successfully jointly implemented. BIO and the CDE have moreover jointly created the ATHENA Facility, a tool aiming to ease access for small companies in the ACP countries to financial resources by following an approach that combines the development of skills and access to credit.
For more information about ATHENA, click here.

 

 

 

 

In addition to European counterparts, BIO also participates in investment projects with other donors such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the African Development Bank or specialised vehicles.

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