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Darwin Initiative
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The Darwin Initiative is the UK’s flagship international challenge fund for biodiversity conversation and poverty reduction, established at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The Darwin Initiative is a grant scheme working on projects that aim to slow, halt, or reverse the rates of biodiversity loss and degradation, with associated reductions in multidimensional poverty. To date, the Darwin Initiative has awarded more than £195m to over 1,280 projects in 159 countries to enhance the capability and capacity of national and local stakeholders to deliver biodiversity conservation and multidimensional poverty reduction outcomes in low and middle-income countries. More information at https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-darwin-initiative. This page contains information about Rounds 27 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 26, please see the Darwin Initiative website -https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/
Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is a widespread and lucrative criminal activity causing major global environmental and social harm. The IWT has been estimated to be worth up to £17 billion a year. Nearly 6,000 different species of fauna and flora are impacted, with almost every country in the world playing a role in the illicit trade. The UK government is committed to tackling illegal trade of wildlife products and is a long-standing leader in efforts to eradicate the IWT. Defra manages the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, which is a competitive grants scheme with the objective of tackling IWT and, in doing so, contributing to sustainable development in developing countries. Projects funded under the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund address one, or more, of the following themes: • Developing sustainable livelihoods to benefit people directly affected by IWT, • Strengthening law enforcement, • Ensuring effective legal frameworks, • Reducing demand for IWT products. By 2023 over £51 million has been committed to 157 projects since the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund was established in 2013. This page contains information about Rounds 7 onwards. For information about Rounds 1 to 6, please see the IWTCF website -https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/
Africa Gateway
British International Investment plc
Africa Gateway is our partnership with DPW which will help address the stark imbalance in global trade through supporting the modernisation and expansion of ports and inland logistics across Africa, starting in the ports of Dakar (Senegal), Sokhna (Egypt) and Berbera (Somaliland). The platform covers a long-term investment period. British International Investment is committing approximately $320 million initially and expects to invest up to a further $400 million over the next several years.
Virunga Energies S.A.U
British International Investment plc
Virunga Energy is a hydro-electric power business in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), backed by the UK charity, Virunga Foundation. It provides clean electricity to communities living in and around Virunga National Park in North Kivu, Eastern Congo.
African Rivers Fund
British International Investment plc
The African Rivers Fund (ARF) invests in small and medium-sized enterprises, at the early venture and late stages. It will target high-growth, well-managed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Central and East African region.
African Rivers Fund IV
British International Investment plc
African Rivers Fund IV (“ARF IV”), a Mauritius limited partnership, is targeting US$135 million to construct a portfolio of investments diversified in Central and East Africa, which collectively capture the underserved small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”). ARF IV’s investment objective is to provide long-term financing to SMEs through self-liquidating instruments, including straight debt, debt with revenue-sharing, and debt with equity.
Africa Gateway
British International Investment plc
Africa Gateway is our partnership with DPW which will help address the stark imbalance in global trade through supporting the modernisation and expansion of ports and inland logistics across Africa, starting in the ports of Dakar (Senegal), Sokhna (Egypt) and Berbera (Somaliland). The platform covers a long-term investment period. British International Investment is committing approximately $320 million initially and expects to invest up to a further $400 million over the next several years.
Mobile Power Finance Limited
British International Investment plc
Founded in 2017, Mobile Power operates a battery-as-a-service business powered by small scale distributed solar energy in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. MOPO offers two patented batteries as alternatives to solar home systems, generators, mini-grids and unreliable grids. Batteries are rented on a pay-per-use basis through a network of agents. There is no deposit or minimum energy usage, enhancing access and affordability. The batteries support various applications, including charging mobile phones, lighting, and productive use equipment like fridges and e-bikes, meeting household and/or micro business energy needs for up to 24 hours.
BluePeak Private Capital Fund II SCSp
British International Investment plc
BluePeak Fund II is a private debt fund investing in midsize businesses in Africa.
Ecobank DRC RSF
British International Investment plc
Ecobank DRC is a leading commercial bank in the DRC and a subsidiary of the pan-African Ecobank Group. It provides a comprehensive suite of financial services to individuals, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), and large corporations, operating as a key financial bridge across the DRC.
SN Development B.V.
British International Investment plc
SN Development B.V. acts as a co-investment and corporate structuring vehicle designed to manage stakes in massive, cross-border infrastructure assets. Its primary focus is the development and commercialization of large-scale renewable projects that drive the energy transition across East and Southern Africa.
Rawbank SA
British International Investment plc
Rawbank is the leading commercial bank in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), established in 2002 and headquartered in Kinshasa. It is a dominant financial institution with over 100 branches, catering to corporate, SME, and individual clients, with approximately $5–6.8 billion in assets as of early 2026
Axian Telecom Holding and Management plc
British International Investment plc
Axian Telecom is a pan-African telecommunications and digital infrastructure company. It operates across multiple African markets, including Madagascar, Tanzania, Senegal, Togo, Comoros, Uganda, DRC, Reunion and Mayotte. It offers a wide range of services including mobile and fixed network services, digital infrastructure, mobile financial services and ICT solutions.
Axian Telecom Holding and Management plc
British International Investment plc
Axian Telecom is a pan-African telecommunications and digital infrastructure company. It operates across multiple African markets, including Madagascar, Tanzania, Senegal, Togo, Comoros, Uganda, DRC, Reunion and Mayotte. It offers a wide range of services including mobile and fixed network services, digital infrastructure, mobile financial services and ICT solutions.
Virunga SARL
British International Investment plc
Virunga Energy is a hydro-electric power business in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), backed by the UK charity, Virunga Foundation. It provides clean electricity to communities living in and around Virunga National Park in North Kivu, Eastern Congo. CDC’s investment will support the development of the electricity grid and the construction of two new plants, resulting in almost 30 megawatts (MW) of new generation.
Virunga Energies S.A.U
British International Investment plc
Virunga Energy is a hydro-electric power business in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), backed by the UK charity, Virunga Foundation. It provides clean electricity to communities living in and around Virunga National Park in North Kivu, Eastern Congo.
The Evidence Fund - 300708
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The Evidence Fund procures and manages research and evaluations that primarily benefit ODA eligible countries. Most research and evaluations paid for by the Evidence Fund are country-specific, and all respond to requests for evidence to inform programme or policy decisions. Primarily serving research requests from HMG’s Embassies and High Commissions in ODA eligible countries, and from HMG policy and strategy teams, the Evidence Fund strengthens the evidence behind the UK’s priority international development investments and development diplomacy. The Evidence Fund also invests modest amounts of non-ODA, to strengthen the evidence behind wider UK foreign policy.
AXE-FILLES - Accès et Égalité pour l'Éducation des Filles
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To improve access to education and improved learning outcomes for girls and boys, and deliver a more responsive and accountable education system
WISH Dividend - successor programme to WISH 205241
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
To increase the use of family planning methods to reduce maternal deaths and prevent the use and access to unsafe abortion, including for marginalised and young women. To enable women and girls to safely plan their pregnancies and improve their sexual and reproductive health. To deliver UK commitments towards Universal Reproductive Health and Rights [SDGs 3.7 and 5.6]. To support a range of services including family planning, education and behaviour change, prevention of unsafe abortion and other integrated sexual and reproductive health services.
Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Programme
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
This programme covers activity seeks to promote justice for survivors of sexual violence in conflict, to support them to recovery, including with health, education and financial support. The programme includes activity to strengthen global responses to sexual violence in conflict, for example through the production and promotion of a guidebook outlining government's obligations on this issue under international law.