Key Eligibility Criteria
Most countries which the UN identifies as least developed countries are in Africa and 3 out of 4 Africans live in poverty. The EU-AITF seeks to support projects which will improve regional integration and interlinkages of infrastructure and so contribute to sustainable economic growth. An additional criterion is how this growth will contribute to social development and benefit the poorest citizens of the countries whether directly or indirectly.
The use of blended grant-loan financing for projects, which clearly enables long-term financing for sustainable projects, is gaining importance and is strongly supported by African governments. African Ownership and project sustainability over the life of the project are therefore one of the guiding principles of EU-AITF support. In addition, blended financing requires one or ideally several of the EU-AITF eligible Financiers to invest in the project through a loan or other financing.
Amongst others, the EU-AITF Eligibility Criteria hence include:
- Project contribution to poverty reduction;
- Project contribution to economic development and trade;
- Economic viability of the project;
- Environmental viability of the project and mitigation of potential impacts;
- Provisions for the project / infrastructure's sustainable operation and maintenance;
- Projects may be implemented by public or private entities or entities with mixed public-private capital
- For operations in the context of the “Sustainable Energy for All-Initiative” priority will be given to projects providing increased access to modern, affordable and sustainable energy services.
- Projects must be trans-border infrastructure projects or national projects with a demonstrable regional impact on two or more countries or national projects in the context of the "Sustainable Energy for All" initiative, aligned to the partners' national policies, and, where applicable, to regional policies and/or plans.
