French Senate reviews AFD development contract and energy funding shifts

The French Senate's foreign affairs and defense commission has examined the 2027–2029 objectives and means contract for the Agence française de développement (AFD). The new framework focuses on 20 key indicators, a reduction from the previous 47, as the agency manages significantly lower budget resources compared to the late 2010s. The contract projects 756 million euros for 2027, with potential increases to 926 million euros in subsequent years, though these remain perspectives rather than voted expenditures.

Key priorities for the AFD include directing 60 percent of budgetary efforts toward least developed countries and aiming for 2 billion euros in support for small and very small African enterprises. Climate and biodiversity also remain central to the agency's mission.

Separately, uncertainty has emerged regarding energy renovation funding in France. The government has decided not to renew the ACTEE program for the 2027–2030 period, despite an initial plan for a 315 million euro envelope. While the ACTEE+ program has been extended until the end of 2027, the decision to pivot funds toward the electrification of uses rather than comprehensive renovation support has drawn criticism from local authorities and the National Federation of Concessionaire and Regulated Collectivities (FNCCR).