UNDP 2022 Intern, Local Development Finance, UNCDF Regional Office for West and Central Africa

UNCDF (UN Capital Development Fund) is the United Nations Capital Development for local development finance, inclusive finance and the promotion of Women and Youth empowerment in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) whose main objective is to facilitate access to public and private capital for the most underserved people. Its expertise enables it to develop «last mile» financial models in areas where infrastructures, access to basic services, financial and non-financial services are lacking to unlock public and private resources at the national level. The expected impact is to reduce poverty and encourage economic local development. UNCDF’s work is based on two approaches: Financial inclusion – New technologies and saving-based approach allowing individuals, households and small businesses to better participate in the local economic development by providing the tools and financial services they need to escape poverty and manage their financial situations; Localized Investments – Thanks to fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal financing and structural financing of projects –, which contribute to promote public and private financing to boost local economic growth and sustainable development.