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2021 results in five key points
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Despite the economic difficulties related to the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2021, PROPARCO returned to growth by increasing its commitments and strengthening their impacts. With €2.3 billion of financing approved, PROPARCO has demonstrated the strength of its support for private sector development. A look back at five key points.
Scaling-up confirmed in 2021
For the third year running, Proparco has topped the €2 billion mark for financial commitments. With €2.3 billion of approvals and €2.1 billion of signatures in 2021, Proparco has confirmed its scaling-up through the sustained growth in its activities, making it one of the leading Development Finance Institutions.
Africa still central to Proparco’s activity
Africa, the priority region for AFD Group, is the main beneficiary of Proparco’s commitments. It accounted for 53% of the total amount of approvals, with €1.2 billion in 2021. The Latin America and Caribbean region accounted for 20% of commitments (€453 million), followed by Asia (€387 million), the Middle East region (€204 million), the multi-country zone (€25 million) and the Europe/Caucasus region (€4 million).
20% of projects signed qualify for the 2X Challenge for gender equality
2021 marked a record mobilization for the reduction of gender inequality. 24 loans signed by Proparco for €368 million qualified for the 2X Challenge, an international initiative that promotes women’s entrepreneurship and leadership, quality jobs and the provision of goods and services for women. By taking greater account of the issues and opportunities in operations, Proparco has achieved the 2X Challenge objective of 20% of signatures in 2021 and is contributing to the achievement of AFD Group’s priority objective.
Stronger impacts on the ground
Despite the continuing effect of the health crisis, the volume of operations signed for which the impacts were recorded ex ante increased again in 2021 and reached €1.7 billion (+47% compared to 2020). This financing will:
- Support 4 million jobs, including:
- Within 5 years, at least 50% of jobs held by women, in 39% of our clients
- Provide 9 million people with access to an essential good or service over the next 5 years, including:
- 1 million people who will benefit from access to renewable electricity
- 698,000 people who will benefit from a micro-credit
- 566,000 people who will benefit from access to a health service.
€3 billion committed to support African entrepreneurship
Since its launch in 2019, the Choose Africa initiative led by AFD Group and managed by Proparco has been working to support African entrepreneurship (start-ups, MSMEs). At the end of 2021, €3 billion had been committed for African MSMEs, including €780 million under the “Resilience” component launched in response to the Covid-19 crisis. A total of 26,000 companies will benefit from the Choose Africa initiative and some 1.5 million jobs (direct and indirect) will be supported.
To find outmore:
Discover the Key Figures 2021 brochure
Download the KEY POINTS brochure on impacts