French Development Agency

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French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement, AFD) is the French international development agency.

The Agence Française de Développement (AFD, or French Development Agency) is a public institution providing development financing. A specialized financial institution, AFD finances sustainable development projects carried by government local authorities, public companies, and the private and associative sectors on five continents—with primacy given to Africa which receives two-thirds of AFD commitments—and in overseas France. These projects focus on urban development and infrastructures, rural development, industry, financial systems, and education and health. AFD offers a range of financial instruments: subsidies, guarantees, shareholdings, and all forms of assisted and commercial loans—in response to each situation.

It is a central figure in France’s official development assistance system. At the crossroads between economic growth, poverty reduction and environmental protection, AFD’s interventions aim to attain the Millennium Goals. AFD’s strategy is guided by sustainable development. AFD develops financial and intellectual partnerships with other donors and contributes, in conjunction with its supervisory authorities, to the elaboration of public policies and to France’s influence in the sphere of development. AFD edits numerous publications, including Afrique contemporaine ("Contemporary Africa"), a French-speaking review on Africa, the Letter of AFD's economists, a series of publications labelled as Notes and Documents.

AFD's general director is Jean-Michel Severino, appointed in 2001. Its Chief economist is Pierre Jacquet.