Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency and Paris-based Meridiam SAS (Meridiam) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to mobilize capital for infrastructure investment in sub-Saharan Africa through enhanced cooperation on project preparation. Under the arrangement, USTDA aims to program up to $20 million in project preparation assistance over the next five years to leverage a targeted total investment of $1.5 billion from Meridiam.
“USTDA’s engagement with Meridiam will allow us to leverage each other’s skills, expertise, and resources and achieve our shared goal of high-quality infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “USTDA offers more than 30 years of experience preparing projects that feature the innovation of our private sector. Our beneficial collaboration with Meridiam will help mobilize capital for transformational infrastructure projects that our partners in Africa have identified as their priorities.”
The MOU establishes new mechanisms to bring projects to fruition by enhancing information sharing on promising upcoming opportunities and jointly prioritizing projects where interests align. It will leverage USTDA’s project preparation tools, including feasibility studies, technical assistance and pilot projects, with an emphasis on target industries like energy, transportation, and public infrastructure such as water and hospitals. In doing so, the MOU will broaden USTDA’s portfolio and facilitate expedited investment decisions by Meridiam.
Thierry Déau, Founder and CEO of Meridiam, said: “On behalf of Meridiam, I am particularly proud of this official signing which marks an important step in our collaboration with USTDA in Africa. This unique strategic [collaboration] paves the way for promising opportunities that will enable us to go even further together in implementing ambitious and innovative sustainable development projects in the continent.”
The MOU with Meridiam is USTDA’s latest collaboration with a sustainability-focused financial institution. In 2023, the Agency signed an MOU with the Investor Leadership Network, a global coalition of institutional investors representing over $10 trillion in assets.
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About USTDA
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | press@ustda.gov
About Meridiam
Meridiam was founded in 2005 by Thierry Déau, with the belief that the alignment of interests between the public and private sector can provide critical solutions to the collective needs of communities. Meridiam is an independent investment Benefit Corporation and an asset manager. The firm specializes in the development, financing, and long-term management of sustainable public infrastructure in three core sectors: sustainable mobility, critical public services and innovative low carbon solutions. With offices in Addis Ababa, Amman, Dakar, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Libreville, Luxembourg, Paris, Vienna and Washington, Meridiam manages over US$22 billion and more than 125 projects to date. Meridiam is certified ISO 9001: 2015, Advanced Sustainability Rating by VigeoEiris (Moody’s), ISO 37001 Anti-Corruption certification by AFNOR and applies a unique methodology in relation to ESG and impact based on United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).