Video On Demand

Supporting Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa

October 19, 2021 • 9:00 – 10:00 am EDT

Available Downloads

An Opportunity for the United States

The keynote address by Senator Inhofe was pre-recorded on October 5, 2021.

The CSIS Project on Prosperity and Development (PPD) invites you to join a virtual public event to discuss Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and blended finance in sub-Saharan Africa.

SMEs are the backbone of the African economy, but many SMEs lack access to affordable financing or credit lines, preventing them from expanding their operations and businesses. Through blended finance, development finance institutions and other development actors can help SMEs gain access to financing and increase private investment in sub-Saharan Africa. As climate change intensifies, many African SMEs have already begun to adopt sustainable, climate-smart practices, and blended finance can assist SMEs with these adaptation measures. Additionally, China’s role in the sub-Saharan African economy has grown over the last two decades, but there is still very little Chinese investment into African SMEs. U.S. development actors and private investors have a critical opportunity to fill this void.

This event was made possible by the generous support of the U.S. African Development Foundation and CS Consulting.

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Daniel F. Runde
Senior Vice President; William A. Schreyer Chair; Director, Project on Prosperity and Development

Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK)

Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee

Elisabeth Feleke

Acting President and Chief Executive Officer, USADF

Olusegun Odunaiya

CEO, Havenhill Synergy Limited

John Simon

Founding Partner, Total Impact Capital

Eugene Amusin

Senior Vice President, Citi Social Finance