Celebrating France at IFC

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and France have a long-standing partnership, and it was a delight to celebrate this collaboration at our recent IFC Unplugged event. We received the Ambassador of France, His Excellency Mr. Laurent Bili , and the World Bank Group and IMF Executive Director, Mr. Arnaud Buisse . The event not only gave us a taste of French culture but also provided great insight into the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.

Our partnership with France is instrumental in driving sustainable development across the globe. During the financial year 2023, IFC's long-term portfolio with French sponsors amounted to $4.2 billion.

IFC maintains a strategic relationship with France through the Direction générale du Trésor (French Treasury) , Proparco , and AFD - Agence Fran?aise de Développement (AFD). With the support of the French Treasury, IFC serves as the Secretariat of the Alliance for Entrepreneurship in Africa (AforE), a partnership that supports a stronger private sector, entrepreneurship, and the growth of small and medium-sized businesses across Africa.

Our collaboration with French companies has led to several successful projects across many sectors, including transport and infrastructure, financial services, manufacturing and agribusiness. For instance, IFC signed a green and sustainability-linked loan to ENGIE Chile , totaling $400 million, to help the company shift from fossil fuel-based power generation to renewable power generation. This is IFC's first sustainability-linked loan in Chile's energy sector, contributing to the supply of clean energy to the National Electric System.

Another notable partnership is with 法国兴业银行 , where we signed a Collaboration Framework Agreement to accelerate sustainable finance in developing countries. This agreement supports sustainable finance projects that facilitate access to clean energy, water, infrastructure, sustainable agribusiness, and the financing of projects empowering women entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

IFC's relationship with France extends beyond partnerships. Our global hub in Paris is growing, with a current team of almost 40 staff working on client relationship management and business development, with a particular focus on climate and tech.

Looking ahead, we remain committed to strengthening our ties with French institutions and companies to build a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable future for all.