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Our development cooperation agency
Expertise France is an international development cooperation agency operating under the aegis of the French government. We have been a subsidiary of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) since 2022.
Our role is to durably improve public policy in the nearly 150 countries in which we operate. To do this, we define these countries’ needs, develop tailored projects, and aid in the development of capacity building and knowledge sharing.
As a subsidiary of the AFD group, we also play a part in serving France’s public interests. As such, we contribute to France’s foreign policy, international partnerships, economic diplomacy, and inclusive and sustainable investment strategy.
Expertise France is a key partner in European development cooperation, and the second largest development agency by size. Most of our funding is European. We also work in close cooperation with Team Europe and our international partners in development aid.
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About Expertise France
What is international development cooperation?
International development cooperation is a human-centred collaboration between international partners to strengthen public policy.
384 projects underway in 147 countries.
This cooperation may include the sharing of knowledge, skills, expertise, and technology between one country or organisation and a partner country. This partner country is usually a developing or emerging nation. International development cooperation strengthens the technical, institutional and human capacity of partner states and organisations. The end goal is lasting, inclusive growth.
The French international development cooperation agency
Expertise France is the French international development cooperation agency. In this capacity, we align our work with France’s strategic priorities in foreign policy and development cooperation.
We implement and coordinate technical cooperation projects for the French government. We usually work under the aegis of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs as well as of the Ministry for the Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty.
Expertise France is a major stakeholder in French cooperation policy. Our technical expertise complements the financial services AFD offers to partner countries (these financial services include loans, grants and subsidies, debt reduction development contracts, and so on.) In this way, we contribute to French international diplomacy.
Our partners and funders in international development cooperation
As part of our work, our teams collaborate on a local, national, regional and international level. Our partners include national governments, local authorities, civil society organisations, research centres, private enterprises, as well as other development cooperation agencies.
Our agency works closely with three main types of partner:
- Partner countries and organisations : These are the state governments and organisations for which Expertise France carries out its development projects. These include national governments, public bodies, public banks, civil society organisations, regional bodies, local authorities, enterprise networks, as well as a wide range of public and private organisations.
- Financial partners : Our main funders are the European Union, French government ministries, and AFD. We are also funded by certain international organisations.
- Project implementation partners : A range of partner organisations help us carry out our development projects. These include agencies from other countries that operate in international cooperation and development. They also include civil society organisations, the private sector, and local authorities. Foremost among these partners are the European development cooperation bodies in Team Europe and the Practitioners’ Network for European Development Cooperation.
"These agencies, including Expertise France, play an increasingly important role in implementing transformation projects on a global scale."
- European Commissioner for International Partnerships
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Key figures
- 1,500 staff on the ground
- 384 projects underway in 147 countries
- €800 million in new projects agreed in 2024