COOPERATION WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Private-sector dynamism is playing an increasingly important role in development, recognised by the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda on financing for development, which aims to better align private-sector incentives with public development goals.

The Business Partnership Facility (BPF) is a tool to encourage the Luxembourg and European private sector to engage with partners in developing countries, enabling them to promote the transfer of technology and expertise, as well as job creation in developing countries. The facility targets ICT, fintech, renewable energy, logistics and the circular economy. Starting with the 2020 edition, businesses may also obtain co-financing for projects in the space, mobility, CleanTech and HealthTech sectors. Five high-quality projects were selected in 2020, taking the number of projects chosen by the BPF to 30.

In addition, a clause on due diligence on human rights has been incorporated into the contracts with enterprises.

Luxembourg Cooperation also has commitments at the multilateral level. The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) is a multi-donor programme directly linked to the World Trade Organization (WTO) that helps the least developed countries to play a more active role in the global trade system. The financial commitment for 2016-2022 amounts to EUR 4.5 million, bringing Luxembourg’s total contribution to EUR 9 million.

The telemedicine project SATMED+ was implemented until 31 December 2020, in partnership with five NGOs. SATMED is a telemedicine platform that uses emergency.lu’s equipment, technology and connectivity and is made available to NGOs and development agencies. This e-health tool, developed by SES TechCom, aims to improve public health in developing and emerging countries, specifically in isolated areas without connectivity. A follow-up to this project is planned.