By Algene Sajery, Vice President of External Affairs and Head of Global Gender Equity Initiatives and Amana Bawa, Development Specialist

Every year on Africa Day, the countries of the African Union celebrate their independence and their progress in charting the course to a more healthy, peaceful, and prosperous future.

As members of the African diaspora who recently joined DFC to work on global development, we know that Africa Day is a day of importance not only within Africa but also around the world, an increasingly connected world that often enjoys shared progress, yet also shares several challenges that require urgent…

By Kyle Murphy, Senior Advisor to the CEO and Andrea Orr, Editorial Director

Last week on Earth Day, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) unveiled a series of initiatives that will transform the way we invest in development to significantly reduce emissions over time and partner with vulnerable communities to respond to the impacts of climate change they are experiencing today and that are likely to grow in the future.

As America’s development bank, DFC plays a central role in mobilizing private investment in emerging markets, which are often the most vulnerable to climate change. DFC has more than $5…

By David Marchick, Chief Operating Officer of U.S. International Development Finance Corporation

When President Biden signed an Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis earlier this year, he highlighted the need for the U.S. to support developing countries in climate mitigation as part of a coordinated global effort.

Three months later, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has responded to that call by transforming the way we invest in development. …

By Andrew Herscowitz, Chief Development Officer, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation

The story of bringing electricity to every corner of the world is a two-sided story of both unprecedented progress in recent years, as well as daunting challenges that remain to reach the most remote populations.

Even as the global population grew, the number of people living without electricity fell from 1.2 billion in 2010 to 840 million in 2019, according to data from the World Health Organization. Despite those strides, there is reason for concern that progress could stall. Most of the communities that still lack a reliable source…

As a Government agency committed to advancing women’s economic empowerment around the world, U.S. International Development Finance Institution (DFC) also strives to empower the women inside the organization.

Women comprise half of DFC’s leadership and span all departments from portfolio management to loan origination, legal affairs, external affairs, and human resources. This strong representation of female leadership has helped guide DFC’s successful track record of investing in development around the world, and reaching some of the most underserved communities, including women. …

By Anthony Randazzo, Director, Social Enterprise Finance and Ken Olsen, Director, Capital Markets

One of the great challenges facing the impact investing world today is the mismatch between the demand for impact assets that provide market returns and the available supply. Simply put, too many impact dollars are chasing too few impact assets.

Development finance institutions (DFIs) like the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) can help address this imbalance. DFC currently has more than $33 billion invested in the developing world, delivering tangible impact on the lives of millions of people living in poverty. One avenue through which DFC…

By Algene Sajery, Vice President of DFC’s Office of External Affairs and Head of DFC’s Global Gender Equity Initiatives

By Merryl Burpoe, Senior Advisor, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation

When a disaster strikes, whether it’s a pandemic, a natural disaster, or political violence, the world’s low-income and underrepresented communities tend to suffer the most.

Lacking typical safety nets including access to credit, many smallholder farmers, small business owners, and laborers struggle to support themselves and their families. Over 1.7 billion people worldwide have never had a bank account, making it challenging to access loans and other financial services even in ordinary times. …