International Development Grant
Investing in Inclusive Infrastructure
Project Number: CA-3-P008544001
Status: Operational
Country/Region:
Regional Focus:
Maximum Contribution: $40,000,000.00
Start Date: March 30, 2021
End Date: December 11, 2036
Duration: 15.7 years
Project Description
This project aims to enhance provision of affordable and sustainable infrastructure services in low-income countries and fragile states to combat poverty and help economies grow. GuarantCo part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) addresses the shortage of long-term patient funding and the lack of local currency infrastructure financing and local capital market development in Africa and Asia. Project activities include: (1) providing expertise and financial services to structure contingent credit solutions especially guarantees; (2) strengthening gender equality inclusivity and development impact considerations in project design and (3) enhancing the capacity of local financial stakeholders investors and project companies to make investment ready projects. Infrastructure projects often face high perceived or real risks or market constraints including potential losses from borrowing in foreign currencies making it challenging to obtain sufficient long-term debt finance. GuarantCo seeks to bridge the gap between a project’s financial requirements and the financial terms available from the market by using structured guarantees to help transfer risk and use long-term patient funding. Its activities mobilize additional investment in low-income countries and fragile states towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased and / or lower-cost capital flows to infrastructure including local capital as a result of more developed local capital markets; (2) enhanced scale replicability affordability and transformation of inclusive infrastructure projects that support the Sustainable Development Goals in frontier markets; and (3) enhanced gender equality outcomes and improved development and gender lens for infrastructure investment.
Progress & Results Achieved
Since 2017 GuarantCo has provided improved access to infrastructure for over 7 million people in lower income countries across Africa and Asia including more affordable and sustainable energy housing digital communications and transportation - 75% of GuarantCo’s current project portfolio is in local currency. These local currency credit solutions have contributed to the creation of more than 17 thousand short and long term jobs for local residents. For instance in 2022 GuarantCo provided Bangladesh’s PRAN Agro with a bond guarantee to attract domestic institutional capital and support expansion plans including land development construction storage facilities and processing machinery. The expansion is expected to result in over 20 percent increased sourcing from local farmers contributing to rural income and food security. The investment into PRAN Agro has also provided much needed job security. The company currently employs 11 000 employees 67 percent of which are women.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
GuarantCo Ltd.
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Reimbursable grant
Selection Mechanism:
Department-Initiated