H&M and Swedfund have initiated a unique cooperation with the aim of contributing to the development of a responsible textile industry in Ethiopia with high social and environmental standards.
Swedfund provides Fidelity Bank, an indigenous Ghanaian bank with a strong focus on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) a MUSD 14 long-term subordinated loan. By supporting the banking sector in Ghana, Swedfund will contribute to job creation, increased demand and private sector development.
Addax Bioenergy has now started its first production of bioethanol and renewable electricity at the plant in Makeni, Sierra Leone. Production is estimated at 85,000 m3 of bioethanol per year by the end of 2016 and the plant is expected to contribute approximately 20% of the country’s current production of electricity.
For the first time, Swedfund presents an integrated report that equates sustainability reporting with the financial statements and clearly describes the positive development outcomes as a result of Swedfund investments.
One of Swedfunds investments in Georgia, TBC Bank, was awarded Best Bank in Georgia and Best CSR in the region in the Europe Banking Awards arranged by EMEA Finance magazine.
On March 13th 2014, Swedfund continued an ongoing stakeholder dialogue that began in the spring of 2013. Among other civil society organizations, representatives of Diakonia, Action Aid and Forum Syd participated in this latest meeting. The dialogue was chaired by Lars-Olle Larsson, Senior Manager of ESG issues at Swedfund.
Swedfund, in partnership with DEG and lead investor Quadria Capital, invests in the specialist healthcare provider Medica. The investment will facilitate Medica becoming the leading hospital chain in Eastern India. Medica’s mission is to provide high quality healthcare services at an affordable cost.
Swedfund and The Africa Health Fund through The Abraaj Group invests equity in a well established chain of private hospitals in Eastern Africa.
Development Partners International (DPI) launches its second fund, African Development Partners II (ADP II). Through an investment in ADP II, Swedfund sees an opportunity to contribute to the expansion of a number of growing companies in Central and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Addax Bioenergy has become the first in Sierra Leone to be registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is also the first sugarcane-based power generation project for ethanol production to be registered as a CDM project in Africa.
Swedfund International AB is participating with MUSD 10 in a long-term subordinated loan facility to TBC Bank in Georgia arranged by FMO, the Dutch development bank.
Swedfund’s mission is to work in the world’s most difficult environments where economic, as well as political, social and environmental risks are high. Sierra Leone is a country still greatly affected by the civil war of 1991-2002. Youth unemployment is currently 60 percent and is among the highest in West Africa.
