Britain’s development finance institution is aiming to mobilise £15 billion ($20 billion) in investment over the next five years, with a stronger emphasis on private sector participation.
British International Investment (BII), which supports developing economies in reducing poverty and tackling climate change, plans to directly invest up to £8 billion of its own capital.
This level remains broadly in line with the lower end of the target range set in its previous five-year plan.
However, the institution intends to significantly increase private capital mobilisation.
For every pound invested by the UK government-owned entity, BII aims to attract an additional pound from private investors such as insurers, pension funds, and asset managers.
This represents around a 40% increase compared with the previous period, BII CEO Leslie Maasdorp said, as reported by Reuters.
Shift driven by declining public funding
The push towards greater private sector involvement comes as development institutions face mounting pressure due to declining official aid budgets.
Wealthier nations, including Britain, have reduced overseas development assistance, partly to increase defence spending, according to Reuters.
“Everyone in (the) G7 is faced with declining capital injections from the government because they need to spend more on defence. That has led to… the rejigging of the business model towards private capital injections,” Maasdorp said, as reported by Reuters.
He further emphasised the shift in strategy, stating, “In the past it was nice to have private capital mobilisation – now it is an essential.”
Data released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development earlier this month showed a record drop in overseas development aid from the world’s richest nations to poorer countries, including the UK.
New initiatives to support climate transition
Alongside its updated strategy, BII announced a £1.1 billion initiative named British Climate Partners.
The programme is designed to help countries such as India and Vietnam reduce their reliance on coal.
Development finance institutions like BII typically encourage private sector investment by taking on higher levels of risk in projects.
This approach helps attract investors who might otherwise be hesitant to fund projects in emerging markets.
Focus on vulnerable economies and key sectors
BII also plans to allocate at least 25% of its new investments to countries classified by the United Nations as Least Developed Countries.
These include nations such as Sudan, Uganda, Bangladesh, and Cambodia, which are among the most vulnerable to climate-related risks.
The institution is also increasing its focus on climate-related projects.
The share of investments directed towards climate initiatives is expected to rise to 40% over the next five years, up from 30% in the previous period.
Similarly, investments aimed at supporting women are set to increase to 30% from 25%, reflecting a broader push towards inclusive development.
Expanding beyond individual projects
In addition to project-level investments, BII plans to expand its strategy to support broader market and sector development.
This includes focusing on areas such as financial services, power, trade, and digital infrastructure.
The shift highlights a growing emphasis on building sustainable ecosystems rather than backing individual companies, as development finance institutions adapt to changing global funding dynamics.
Overall, BII’s updated strategy underscores a significant transition towards leveraging private capital at scale, as traditional public funding sources continue to decline.
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