Austria

Partnership overview

Austria joined the African Development Fund (ADF) on 22 December 1981 and the African Development Bank (AfDB) on 30 March 1983. Austria supported the 2010 General Capital Increase VI and ADF XII replenishment of the African Development Bank Group. The AfDB mainly collaborates with the Ministry of Finance, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Development Bank of Austria (OeEB).

Austria’s priority countries in Africa include Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Mozambique. Its three major goals are reducing global poverty, safeguarding peace and human security as well as preserving the environment.

Austrian Development Cooperation in Africa has been focusing on Water and Sanitation, Rural Development, Renewable Energy, Private Sector Development, Education and Human Rights and Peacekeeping.

Austria is cooperating mainly through financial and technical assistance to the African Water Facility (AWF), private sector co-financing and the African Financing Partnership (AFP).

In March 2010, the Ministry of Finance attended the AfDB’s 2nd Partnership Forum and announced that Austria will increase its engagement with the Bank in private sector initiatives.

Joint Initiatives

• Austria supports the African Water Facility (AWF) hosted by the Bank and finances a water expert since 2005. The African Water Facility is an initiative led by the African Minister’s Council on Water (AMCOW) to mobilise and apply resources to finance water development activities in Africa. The Facility has been established within the context of the Africa Water Vision and the Millennium Development Goals. The African Development Bank is hosting the Facility on the request of AMCOW.
• Austrian Ministry of Finance and OeEB are contributing to the Multi-Donor Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA) initiated by Japan in 2005.
• In June 2008, a Letter of Agreement was signed between the AfDB and OeEB to promote co-financing for private sector operating in developing countries.
• Austrian Development Bank (OeEB) and AfDB are in discussions on co-investment and co-financing opportunities in the private sector in Africa.

Contact

Laurence Gielen
Principal Cooperation Officer
Partnerships and Cooperation Unit (ORRU)
Tel: (216) 71 10 2641