Investisseurs & Partenaires Newsletter - n°1 / March 2013

Editorial

Jean-Michel Severino - CEO of I&P

Begining of 2013, the African continent remains a contrasted landscape: On one side  political conflict, terrorism, fundamentalism, and on the other a growing economic activity. If military, diplomatic and humanitarian actions are essential in the short term, development is the ultimate solution to the increase of employement needs due to population growth and the necessity for social stabilization.

Investisseurs & Partenaires’ (I&P) growth fits into this convergence of all these commitments for development. Since last year, thanks to the trust of our investors, we have been able to dedicate over fifty million euros to business creation, hence supporting entrepreneurs and job creation, through the launch of a new fund, I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs. The operational start of the fund have been quick: reflecting both the economic context and the commitment I&P's team. Our financial company, I&P Développement (IPDEV) not only successfully continued its exit policy for previous investments, but also continued to strengthen its portfolio companies. Thanks to the dynamism of its shareholders IPDEV reaches a new stage in developing a strategy that will promote the establishment of local investment funds targeting needs of smaller companies, in addition to its historic portfolio. A capital increase is to start in spring to support this new phase and amplify the impact of IPDEV.

I&P is fully committed to solve societal issues through market instruments and contribute to build a stronger, more responsible and sustainable Africa.

Our Partners

 Portrait 

Biotropical, Jean-Pierre Imélé 

 Jean-Pierre Imélé is an agronomist and agricultural ecologist active in the organic sector for 25 years. He settled in Cameroon in 1988 to develop organic farming in training and mentoring peasants, and created Biotropical. In November 2011 Jean-Pierre received the award of pioneering CSR in Africa in recognition of the social and environmental actions conducted with his colleagues and populations in rural areas where Biotropical’s activities are located.

I&P partnered with Planète d’entrepreneurs, a HEC student association, to conduct a survey on the company’s impacts at 360°.

For more informatino: Download the report (FR) and it's executive summnary (FR)

I&P Portfolio

• IPDEV's exiss in 2012 : Saphar and Legeni in Niger, Camed in Mali, la Laiterie du Berger in Senegal (partial exit)
• 10 months after its first closing last may, IPAE commited to 9 investments for 7 million euros : Nest for All, Delta Irrigation et Sophamac in Senegal, ACEP Madagascar and IOT in Madagascar, ITG Store in Cameroon, Conergies in Mali/Ivory Coast, Bakou Logistics and ACEP Burkina in Burkina Faso

In brief, our partners' news

• Nest for All  (Senegal) has opened a gynecological antenna in a urban popular area in Dakar to monitor pre and post natal women from the lower classes.  
• Saint Louis Finance (Senegal) opened a new branch in Louga and welcomed his thousandth customer in December 2012.
• Bhélix (Benin) is starting a new construction for Nocibé, the second cement industry in Benin.
• ACEP Burkina (Burkina Faso) made its first disbursements.
• IOT (Madagascar) started the construction of the hatchery, the refectory and the workshop. The administrative, safety and health buildings are completed. IOT received final approval of holothuriculture issued by the Ministry of fisheries and fishery resources ; this authorization allows the company to carry on business.
• The private company Nutrizaza (Madagascar) has been officially founded by the Madagascar’s administration. Nutrizaza is no longer a project by the Gret : it is now a social business. 

• A new impact report on la Laiterie du Berger by Méryll Parisse for the FACTS review

Monitoring & Analysis

Social and economic background

• Africa offers many investment opportunities but access to local financing is still missing
  > Read more
•  54 million jobs created in Africa in the 10 coming years  according to McKinsey. A trend to which I&P aims at contributing! 
  > Read the article

Impact investment

• New survey published by the GIIN on impact investment prospects, to which I&P took part
  > Read the article
• An increasing integration of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) criteria in investment decisions is the source of long-term performance 
  >Read the article