The ECOWAS Investment and Development Bank (BIDC) and the Insurance for Trade and Investment Development in Africa (ATIDI) signed on May 29, 2025, on the sidelines of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, in Abidjan, on the sidelines of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group in Abidjan, a memorandum of understanding to strengthen support to the private sector in the subregion West African region

In his speech, Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, President of the BIDC and its Board of Directors, emphasized the importance of continuing to implement strategies that promote a business climate conducive to the acceleration of private sector financing flows for infrastructure development, while highlighting ratings. commendable international credit from Member States such as Benin, Côte d'Ivoire and Cape Verde

In this regard, he said that “credit insurance is a strategic tool to mitigate the impact of the macroeconomic and political challenges facing the subregion in order to attract finance on better terms to support the development agenda of ECOWAS Member States”. With a population expected to exceed 500 million by 2040, and urbanization leading to new digital, infrastructure and energy demands, the pressure to finance sustainable development has never been more crucial for our sub-region

Mr. Manuel Moses, CEO of ATIDI, said: “This MoU marks an important milestone in several ways. First, it represents a concrete step towards improving access to finance for the private sector, in particular for SMEs, which form the backbone of the African economy. It reinforces our shared commitment to advance regional integration, a key pillar in Africa's march towards economic transformation. More importantly, this Memorandum of Understanding reflects the need and the power of strategic collaboration between key development finance actors. Only by joining forces can institutions such as the BIDC and ATIDI reach the level required to create the desired impact on development and enable transformational investments for the benefit of ECOWAS citizens. ATIDI will spare no effort to make this partnership a dynamic, prolific and