WASHINGTON – In the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2023, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Board of Directors approved five new investments supporting critical infrastructure, promoting health and sanitation, and increasing access to housing and financial technology in emerging markets. Three additional transactions received approval from the Corporation to advance DFC’s developmental priorities. Together the eight projects represent more than $465 million of investment.
Developing countries face an infrastructure gap that is estimated to exceed $40 trillion by 2045. Approximately 771 million people around the world lack access to safe water, 1.7 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, and more than half of the people across Africa lack access to needed healthcare. In India, approximately 14 million urban households suffer from poor infrastructure and living conditions. In developing economies where there may be limited resources, technology can be an important solution to address disparities in sectors such as education, healthcare, and financial services.
The December meeting of DFC’s Board of Directors included a public hearing and project approvals. Please find more information on DFC’s Board of Directors web page.
DFC’s Board approved the following investments this quarter:
- Strengthening transportation infrastructure in Ecuador: A $150 million loan to Yilport Terminal Operations will help expand and modernize the Puerto Bolívar container port in Ecuador, creating local jobs and improving port efficiency.
- Financing safe water and improved sanitation access globally: A $100 million loan to WaterEquity’s Global Access Fund IV will provide debt investments to financial institutions that lend to entities financing access to safe water and improved sanitation in more than 14 low and lower-middle income countries.
- Improving access to quality healthcare across Africa: An equity investment of up to $10 million in Transform Health Fund will target transactions in Africa’s healthcare services and health supply chain sectors, increasing healthcare access for low-income populations.
- Supporting tech-enabled health, education, and financial services in Southeast Asia: A $30 million equity investment in Asia Partners Fund II will help close the late-stage funding gap for technology companies operating in lower-middle income countries across Southeast Asia, prioritizing investments in tech or tech-enabled businesses such as in health, education, and financial services.
- Expanding access to affordable housing for women in India: A $75 million loan to India-based Home First Finance will support affordable housing mortgage loans to low-income borrowers, with 100 percent of the loan proceeds financing housing for women.
DFC approved the following investments at the Corporation level:
- Bolstering economic opportunity for migrants in Colombia: In collaboration with USAID/Colombia, a $5.6 million loan portfolio guaranty to Microempresas de Colombia Cooperativa de Ahorro Y Credito will expand lending to women borrowers and Venezuelan migrants and Colombians in host communities.
- Boosting COVID-19 economic recovery among microfinance institutions worldwide: $48 million in funding to Triple Jump Financial Inclusion Resilience Fund B.V. will support the recovery of microfinance institutions from the COVID-19 economic downturn.
- Promoting the growth of small businesses in Serbia: A $48 million loan portfolio guaranty to Raiffeisen Banka a.d. Beograd will encourage lending to micro, small, and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) with a focus on agriculture and sustainable green finance.
Many of these investments are subject to Congressional Notification.
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U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today. We invest across sectors including energy, healthcare, critical infrastructure, and technology. DFC also provides financing for small businesses and women entrepreneurs in order to create jobs in emerging markets. DFC investments adhere to high standards and respect the environment, human rights, and worker rights.