Shaping tomorrow, today
Activity report 2024 - 2025
"Enabel is determined to resist the dismantling of the international solidarity system. International cooperation is essential to dialogue, stability and peace."
Jean Van Wetter
Managing Director, Enabel
Peace & stability
Ukraine: Building back better
In May 2024, the Belgian council of ministers approved the ‘BE-Relieve Ukraine’ programme, proposed by Enabel as part of Belgium’s commitment to Ukraine’s reconstruction. Backed by €150 million from taxes on frozen Russian assets, this ambitious initiative focuses on the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions and goes beyond rebuilding infrastructure — it aims to restore hope and support communities to return, recover, and thrive in a more resilient Ukraine.
The programme targets key sectors including energy and circular construction, health and social protection, and education and employment. In response to frequent electricity outages, Enabel delivered 49 generators in 2024, providing 16.5 Megawatts of reserve power to schools, utilities, and towns. In 2025, over 250 generators and mobile boilers will be distributed to ensure backup heat and electricity for homes, schools, and hospitals.
In health and social protection, Enabel supports a patient-centred system, with a focus on mental health and inclusive services for displaced persons, veterans, and people with disabilities. This includes supplying rehabilitation equipment to the Borodyanka Rehab Centre and supporting access to healthcare through partnerships with local organisations like Patients of Ukraine.
In education and employment, Enabel is working with the Ministry of Education to build shelters in schools, ensuring learning can continue despite ongoing attacks. In cooperation with Expertise France, Enabel is working on the modernisation of two VET schools in Chernihiv, rehabilitating the infrastructure and enhancing the quality and relevance of skills training.
Operating under a Team Belgium approach, BE-Relieve fosters strong partnerships between Belgian and Ukrainian institutions. By promoting public-private cooperation and engaging Belgian businesses, the programme not only supports Ukraine’s EU accession path but also builds long-term connections essential for sustainable recovery.
Sahel: On the importance of staying engaged
In an increasingly interconnected world, progress, innovation, and culture transcend borders — and so do crises. As conflicts spread across nations, national solutions alone are no longer sufficient. In fragile regions such as the Sahel, rising military regimes and growing anti-Western sentiment have led some European actors to question their ability to drive positive and lasting change. However, disengagement only risks deepening instability and prolonging crises.
Navigating geopolitical shifts
European agencies working in regions like the Sahel face shifting geopolitical currents. They are forced to navigate the political priorities of their national government, while staying the course and achieve development goals. Even without a unified EU stance on the matter, the European agencies play a crucial role in supporting fragile states - contributing to their resilience and by extension, Europe’s own stability.
The work of cooperation agencies like Enabel and GIZ spans essential policy areas including migration, security, energy, and environmental transition — issues that are central to the EU agenda. Attempting to address these issues without tackling the root causes of instability is not only ineffective; it may also be counterproductive.
More cooperation, not competition
Around 72% of Enabel’s and 66% of GIZ’s projects operate in crisis-affected regions. Their work focuses on reducing inequalities, promoting good governance, and fostering social and environmental resilience. These experiences have shown that cooperation — not competition — is vital. Stronger partnerships among agencies, local authorities, civil society, and diverse communities such as youth, women, and the diaspora, bring local knowledge and trust to the heart of sustainable development.
At the same time, we must rethink our engagement. We need to design programmes that contribute to peacebuilding, by enhancing collaboration across organisations and embracing locally driven approaches. We must also recognise the intrinsic link between cooperation and defence. Further coordinating actions between these sectors will create greater impact, both abroad and at home.
This integrated vision is exemplified in Burkina Faso, where over one million children were displaced and 6,000 schools closed in 2024 due to protracted conflict. Enabel has supported education continuity through partnerships with regional education authorities and community structures. Together, they provided remedial classes, psychosocial support for students and teachers, and radio education programming that reached over 10,000 children in areas where schools remain closed.
Legal identity is another critical area. In 2020, fewer than half of Burkinabé civil status events were registered, preventing many — especially internally displaced persons — from accessing basic rights. Enabel partnered with national and local authorities, as well as NGOs such as Children Believe, to modernise civil status systems and deliver over 10,000 birth certificates to children, ensuring access to healthcare and education, and reducing the risk of statelessness.
Ultimately, sustainable peace and progress require strategic, long-term investment in crisis prevention, justice, and resilience-building. Supporting fragile states is not only a matter of solidarity — it is an investment in global peace.
Supporting Gaza’s future: reconstruction and resilience
Since October 2023, relentless air, land, and sea strikes in Gaza have devastated essential infrastructure — hospitals, schools, and utilities — leaving the population without food, water, healthcare, or basic protection services.
Similar to Enabel’s work in Ukraine, Gaza’s recovery requires an area-based approach that integrates education, healthcare, urban planning, and economic revival. Enabel is reactivating its actions in Gaza alongside its bilateral programme in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, working with local and international partners to respond to urgent needs.
A key focus will be physical and community rehabilitation, with special attention to mental health. The war has caused widespread trauma, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD — particularly among children. Enabel is partnering with Palestinian and international organisations to provide psychosocial care and create safe spaces for girls and women, integrating services for sexual and reproductive health and rights.
In education, with 92% of school buildings destroyed or damaged and over 745,000 students unable to attend school, Enabel will support temporary learning spaces in safe zones. Activities will include remedial education to make up for the two academic years lost since October 2023.
Debris and emergency waste management is another strategic priority. Between 41 and 47 million tons of debris — some contaminated by asbestos — must be safely removed. This is essential for the delivery of humanitarian aid and future reconstruction.
To support economic recovery, Enabel will invest in short-term employment that provides financial relief and aids recovery efforts. This includes assistance to teachers and nurses, support for small businesses, and community-based debris clearing projects.
In spite of the volatility and unpredictability of conflict resolution evolving on the ground, we remain engaged in contributing to meaningful solutions for Gaza’s future.
Our commitment reflects Belgium’s dedication to peace and stability, fully aligning with the broader international consensus that a two-state solution is the only path toward a just, lasting, and hopeful future for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Climate & environment
Tanganyika lake: harnessing science for climate action
With 18% of the world’s freshwater reserves, the catchment area of Lakes Tanganyika and Kivu is a global environmental treasure. It provides vital resources for nearly eight million people and is home to one of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems. However, these natural assets are under growing threat due to the intensifying effects of climate change.
The Tanganyika Kivu Water Management Project (TAKIWAMA), a European initiative implemented by Enabel and GIZ, seeks to ensure the sustainable management of these resources, preserve ecosystems, and safeguard the future of communities in the region.
Since 2019, Enabel has been working with the Lake Tanganyika Authority, uniting the four bordering countries – Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, and Burundi – to establish an environmental monitoring network for water quality. In the project’s first phase, four regional laboratories were rehabilitated and equipped, and water monitoring methods were harmonised. Infrastructure improvements included upgrading the Bujumbura wastewater treatment plant and enhancing solid waste management in Kigoma, Tanzania.
The project’s second phase strengthens its scientific foundation. It will expand the water quality monitoring network and develop new environmental monitoring centres, supported by an international network of universities and research institutions, including the EU Joint Research Centre, the University of Liège, the University of Burundi, and the Frankfurt Zoological Society.
At COP29, the Walloon Region pledged €2 million to build climate monitoring centres in Nsumbu (Zambia) and Kipili (Tanzania). Weather stations will also be modernised and biodiversity monitoring equipment enhanced.
Enabel is also working with Belgium’s National Geographic Institute to analyse the impacts of rising lake levels, flooding, and soil erosion, and harmonise topographic networks. These studies will guide risk assessment and policy-making for long-term environmental protection.
TAKIWAMA shows how science, cross-border collaboration, and community engagement can drive climate resilience — proving that collective, data-driven action is essential to preserve global freshwater ecosystems.
Interview
Shifting the narrative:
From aid to investment
Joseph Ng'ang'a
Special Envoy for Mission 300
Joseph Nganga is currently serving as Special Envoy for Mission300 - a joint initiative from the World Bank and the African Development Bank aiming to deliver electricity access to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. He is the immediate former Vice President for Africa at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, A key figure in Africa’s energy and climate space. He was the CEO of the Inaugural Africa Climate Summit in 2023. Mr. Nganga focuses on advancing sustainable investments to drive Africa’s climate positive development.
This section presents an excerpt from the interview. The full interview is available via this link or at the bottom of the page.
Development aid is under increasing scrutiny worldwide. Why do you think that is?
This wave of changes is driven by several factors. Many governments funding international development are facing immense pressure on their budgets, which gives them two options: either raise taxes, often not palatable from a political perspective, or reduce expenses - often targeting what is least objectionable, such as foreign aid. In addition, there is a growing sense of donor fatigue. Aid has been going on for a long time, leading people to question when recipients will become self-sufficient. Finally, there is also the global, political context in which states are increasingly looking inwards making development aid less attractive.
There might, however, be a silver lining to the current development aid crisis: it forces African countries to relook at their own capabilities and talents, and represents an opportunity for citizens to hold their leaders accountable. It is also an opportunity for the development community to rethink how they are doing things. The challenge is the abrupt halt of development assistance, which risks throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
As international cooperation evolves, how can we shift from traditional models toward a more equitable, partnership-based narrative that reflects today’s global challenges and opportunities?
From the onset, Enabel has been taking important steps in rethinking international cooperation-by ensuring that in addition to the most critical support, we are also driving long-term, solution-oriented partnerships. The key question is: how do we operate as true partners, as opposed to the traditional beneficiary–benefactor dynamic?True partnerships can create powerful win-win opportunities. Belgium, with its expertise in infrastructure, shipping, and hydrogen, is well-positioned to collaborate with African countries like Sierra Leone, which is developing in these areas. Sierra Leone’s deep-water port, for instance, has the potential to become a strategic West African hub—but unlocking that potential requires both technology and financing.
Overcoming information gaps and aligning Belgium’s capabilities with Sierra Leone’s needs and investment-ready projects is key. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges offers a strong model, not just in port development but also in efficient management and could serve as a valuable partner. By channelling part of its development budget into structuring a major infrastructure project in Sierra Leone, Belgium could help address critical infrastructure gaps, support economic growth, and foster job creation. In return, Belgium would export its expertise, earn returns on investment, and deepen its ties in the region, making it a truly mutually beneficial partnership.
What role do you see Enabel and Belgian actors playing in facilitating the climate and energy transition?
I believe Enabel is working in alignment with the broader shift from traditional development aid towards more equitable, sustainable partnerships that support long-term transformation. By supporting Ministries of Finance,such as in Mozambique,Enabel helps governments integrate climate priorities into national planning and economic strategies. This kind of support strengthens local ownership, which is essential to advancing initiatives like the Country Platform approach, where coordination across public and private actors is critical to achieving impact at scale.
However, for these strategies to attract real investment, the other side of the table;those with capital, technology, and infrastructure,—must also recognise the opportunity. This is where Enabel could play a key facilitative role: supporting governments in identifying and shaping investable opportunities, perhaps through frameworks or digital tools that help structure project data and analysis, and helping frame them in ways that resonate with Belgian and European private sector actors.
In the context of the Africa Climate Summit, Belgium could bring valuable technology and business model expertise. As an early supporter of this year’s Africa Climate Summit, Enabel’s role could be to ensure these are brought into the conversation, while also framing the narrative to highlight Africa’s potential. Increasing awareness is essential, which is why we could facilitate direct engagement between Belgian companies and African stakeholders; including targeted meetings and the development of concrete instruments, such as MOUs, that can be formalised at the summit.
Fighting desertification: local solutions, regional impact
Since May 2022, Enabel has been rolling out an ambitious regional climate programme in the Sahel region, namely in Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Senegal. The region faces increasing desertification and prolonged drought, which threatens the ecological and socio-economic balance of the region. In response, the initiative aims to reclaim 10,000 hectares of degraded land in each country—adding up to a total of 40,000 hectares—while actively involving local communities to ensure sustainable management of natural resources.
Communities at the heart of ecological restoration
Sustainable action starts with local consultation. That is why the initiative is preceded by dialogue with local communities. The meetings make it possible to identify the resources, water infrastructure and land to be reclaimed, while defining the future uses of the rehabilitated sites: agriculture, pastoralism or preservation of biodiversity. This inclusive approach leads to initiatives adapted to the local context: in Burkina Faso, priority is given to agriculture, in Niger to pastoralism, and in Senegal to ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation.
Tangible results on a national scale
The project is already delivering results. In Burkina Faso, 3,000 hectares of land have been reclaimed for cereal cultivation. With TreeAid, 28,000 trees producing non-wood forest products were planted, creating sustainable livelihoods. In Niger, a 500-hectare reclaimed site is now a productive grazing area. In Senegal, fencing off 500 hectares allows vegetation to recover. In Mali, restoration along the River Niger is stabilising soil, preventing erosion and improving water quality.
In all four countries, training and empowerment of women and young people are at the heart of the activities. Through a partnership with the NGO Eclosio, for example, we are supporting nearly 200 women's groups in Senegal in the development of non-wood forest products: training courses on sustainable collection, product processing and support for marketing help these women in establishing climate-sensitive income-generating activities.
Connecting Africa and Europe
Linking, connecting, bringing prosperity: the role of strategic corridors in Africa
In a world where business flows greatly impact the competitiveness of countries, transport infrastructure is more than just a logistics facility: it is the foundation of today’s geopolitical dynamics and key to Africa's economic development.
It is against this backdrop that the European Union launched the Global Gateway – an investment plan to mobilise EUR 150 billion in Africa by 2027 – for the development of sustainable, connected infrastructure. Transportation is one of its priority areas. Enabel plays an active role by supporting the modernisation of strategic transport corridors, notably the Cotonou-Niamey, Abidjan-Lagos, Abidjan-Ouagadougou, and Dar es Salaam-Kigoma corridors.
A strategic corridor is more than a link between production centres and markets—it also facilitates the movement of people, especially in rural areas. With 80% of Africa’s foreign trade passing through its ports, port infrastructure is vital, particularly for landlocked countries like those in the Sahel.
The Cotonou-Niamey corridor, for example, links the Port of Cotonou (in Benin) to the domestic markets of the Sahel (Niger and Burkina Faso in particular), thus affecting some 34 million people living near the more than 1,000 kilometres of roads.
Enabel, in partnership with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, has helped modernise the port, boosting transiting goods by 45% between 2010 and 2019 and securing Ecoport certification.
At the other end of the continent, the Dar es Salaam-Kigoma corridor in Tanzania is part of a similar dynamic: Together with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, TradeMark Africa and UN Habitat, Enabel is working to optimise operations and the transit of goods through the Port of Dar es Salaam. TradeMark Africa provides invaluable support by digitising customs processes and managing non-tariff barriers.
The strategic corridors are more than just a logistical and economic initiative. They are also and above all aimed at empowering local entrepreneurship: entrepreneurs, farmers and local communities will benefit directly from the modernisation of the infrastructure.
Enabel also champions eco-friendly approaches—minimising carbon footprints and promoting climate-resilient development—making these strategic corridors key levers for a sustainable and inclusive future.
The Cotonou-Niamey corridor, for example, links the Port of Cotonou (in Benin) to the domestic markets of the Sahel (Niger and Burkina Faso in particular), thus affecting some 34 million people living near the more than 1,000 kilometres of roads.
Enabel, in partnership with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, has helped modernise the port, boosting transiting goods by 45% between 2010 and 2019 and securing Ecoport certification.
At the other end of the continent, the Dar es Salaam-Kigoma corridor in Tanzania is part of a similar dynamic: Together with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, TradeMark Africa and UN Habitat, Enabel is working to optimise operations and the transit of goods through the Port of Dar es Salaam. TradeMark Africa provides invaluable support by digitising customs processes and managing non-tariff barriers.
The strategic corridors are more than just a logistical and economic initiative. They are also and above all aimed at empowering local entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurs, farmers and local communities will benefit directly from the modernisation of the infrastructure.
Enabel also champions eco-friendly approaches—minimising carbon footprints and promoting climate-resilient development—making these strategic corridors key levers for a sustainable and inclusive future.
The EU and Enabel: a strategic partnership for sustainable growth in Côte d'Ivoire
Francesca Di Mauro
EU Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire
This section presents an excerpt from the interview. The full interview is available via this link or the button at the bottom of the page.
What role do the partnerships between the EU, the Member States and agencies such as Enabel play in strengthening Côte d'Ivoire's economy?
With a GDP growing at around 7%, Côte d'Ivoire is one of the biggest economies in West Africa. It is a powerhouse economy, driving other economies and attracting many workers from the sub-region.
Team Europe – the European Union, its Member States, their development agencies, development banks and the European Investment Bank – is deeply involved in Côte d'Ivoire. Team Europe enables the successful implementation of the Global Gateway strategy, the European Union's investment package offered to partner countries like Côte d'Ivoire, particularly in the climate/energy sector, strategic corridor transportation as well as youth employability.
Côte d'Ivoire is the world's leading cocoa producer. How are the EU and its partners such as Enabel supporting the transition to a more sustainable and fairer cocoa sector?
With the European Green Deal, which was introduced in 2019, and particularly through the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the EU started work in Côte d'Ivoire to make the cocoa sector more sustainable. As from the end of 2025, the EUDR requires that products imported from abroad, but also those produced in Europe, do not contribute to deforestation and that they are produced legally. For some years now, the EU has been helping the Côte d’Ivoire government to comply. The introduction of the ARS 1000 African standard for sustainable cocoa is a good example of this: It promotes the geolocation of cocoa farms, leading to the traceability of cocoa.
Through the Team Europe Sustainable Cocoa Initiative, we are tackling the three elements of sustainability: the environmental aspect, by reducing deforestation; the economic aspect, by ensuring access to decent incomes for producers; and the social aspect, by eliminating all forms of child labour.
These sustainability aspects are addressed at different levels. At the political level, during the EU-Côte d'Ivoire partnership dialogue: once a year, we meet with all the European ambassadors and the Côte d'Ivoire authorities for a policy dialogue on a number of issues, including policy, security and sustainability.
We are also deploying all our tools. Budget support, linked for example to indicators on supervision systems, deforestation control and child labour control.
Technical support, including that provided by Enabel, which is addressing decent incomes. Enabel works directly with the cooperatives, to strengthen them in terms of marketing, business planning and agricultural techniques. The aim is to have cooperatives organise themselves better and have greater negotiating power in relation to cocoa purchasers. Because if cooperatives are stronger, they can negotiate better and therefore obtain a fair price and a decent income for workers.
And loans, such as the one with the European Investment Bank (with an EU guarantee) to tackle reforestation in Côte d'Ivoire.
Empowering Africa’s Educators
Across sub-Saharan Africa, education systems face persistent challenges such as a shortage of trained teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and limited professional development. With 15 million new qualified teachers needed by 2030, many educators still work without adequate training, especially in rural and crisis-affected areas. To address these issues, the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa (RTIA) was launched as part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Funded by the European Union with 100 million euros and an additional 4 million euros from Belgium, the initiative is led by Belgium, France, and Finland, in partnership with UNESCO and the African Union.
RTIA supports education reform by providing tailored technical assistance to Ministries of Education, helping them design and implement teacher policies aligned with national strategies. It also identifies and scales innovative solutions to improve teacher training and professional development in challenging environments. Within this framework, Team Belgium—composed of Enabel, VVOB, and APEFE—works to advance digital education, promote gender-transformative pedagogy, and strengthen foundational learning.
In Tanzania, Enabel supports over 148,000 educators with e-learning modules. In Zambia, a project leverages Raspberry Pi computers and the Moodle platform to improve teacher training in remote regions. In Ghana, play-based learning is being institutionalised to foster more inclusive classrooms, while in Burkina Faso, the “Imagier yam wekre” tool encourages playful and participative learning through themed visuals.
Beyond implementation, the initiative also promotes sustainable change by supporting research on teacher governance and policy. The Belgian-funded “Teach 2 Empower” initiative adds value through knowledge sharing, joint capitalisation, and advocacy.
Health for all
A key milestone for medicine production in Senegal
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted global inequalities in access to medicines and vaccines, prompting the African Union to set a goal: by 2040, Africa should locally produce 60% of its vaccine needs. Senegal is advancing towards this ambition with support from Enabel and the Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies in Africa (MAV+).
In December 2024, Senegal reached Maturity Level 3 in medicine and vaccine regulation—a WHO benchmark indicating internationally recognised, well-functioning systems that ensure quality and safety. This milestone strengthens Senegal’s pharmaceutical sector, attracts investment, and improves access to health products.
Since 2021, Enabel has supported Senegal’s healthcare system with a €4 million project funded by Belgium. Key achievements include the creation of the Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authority (ARP) in 2022 and improvements in regulation, inspections, and pharmacovigilance.
The broader Team Europe effort also supported the construction of the MADIBA vaccine production site and a new yellow fever facility at the Institut Pasteur of Dakar. Enabel mobilised Belgian expertise through a Team Belgium approach, including Quamed, the Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products, and Sciensano.
The Gates Foundation and Enabel’s commitment to resilient health systems
Gargee Ghosh
President of Global Policy & Advocacy at the Gates Foundation
This section presents an excerpt from the interview. The full interview is available via this link or at the bottom of the page.
Why did the Gates Foundation decide to partner with Enabel in the fight to eradicate malaria?
Our work is grounded in the belief that all people, especially those in disadvantaged communities around the world, should be able to live healthy and productive lives. We do this work with partners around the world and had already been collaborating with the Belgian Government on sleeping sickness elimination in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This partnership led to a conversation to explore further collaboration, and we saw an opportunity to bring the Belgian Government and Enabel’s efforts in health systems strengthening together with our efforts in malaria.
Malaria eradication requires strong health systems to ensure access to quality care. Similarly, strengthening health systems can benefit from controlling malaria, which can reduce the burden on health facilities. In some regions, more than 50% of medical consultations are due to malaria. Enabel was an attractive partner for the foundation given its geographical footprint, on-the-ground expertise, and strong partner government relationships.
Can you provide an overview of our partnership’s key achievements in Niger and Burundi? From your perspective, what have been the most impactful activities?
Systems strengthening takes time, so it is still early to see the full impact of our partnership. The effects on malaria will become more evident once the programme is fully operational. However, we are already seeing significant progress on the country roadmaps towards the Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria funding applications, for which Enabel provides support to the malaria programme. Additionally, there is an exciting collaboration between Enabel and Audere in digital health, and the partnership between Enabel and Blue Square on malaria surveillance is also extremely promising.
Our current partnership also includes the participation of Blue Square, a Belgian company specialising in innovative health information systems, to strengthen malaria surveillance. How do you see the role of public-private partnerships evolving in the international development sector?
The private sector is an important player in global health and development, with its varied partners offering specific expertise and driving innovation. Blue Square’s work specifically in data management, integration, and visualisation, combined with their innovative approaches to collecting data from campaigns and routine systems, is a great example. Public-private partnerships enable us to leverage the strengths of both sectors, based on shared values, fostering innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in international development efforts.
These partnerships are increasingly important in an evolving development landscape, as the public and philanthropic sectors are able to de-risk projects and investments to help encourage private sector engagement in low-income contexts that may have previously been perceived as too risky.
Economic development
Private Partnerships: Catalysts for Sustainable Change
Enabel believes the private sector plays a vital role in development by creating added value and jobs. That’s why it works with partner governments to improve the business environment and support entrepreneurs. At the same time, Enabel engages with Belgian, European, and international companies as providers of resources and know-how through win-win partnerships, where “both commercial and development outcomes are important.”
There are various ways to involve businesses in international cooperation. Increasingly, companies of all sizes are placing sustainability at the heart of their strategies—not just to grow market share, but to ensure long-term credibility. They understand their role in the sustainable development of society. Enabel acts as an enabler, helping to align business and development goals. While private partners invest through equity, loans, or guarantees, Enabel complements this by strengthening local actors, improving supply chains, and addressing labour shortages through training and skills development. These collaborations can also be part of the EU Global Gateway initiative.
To drive innovation, Enabel issues calls for proposals. In collaboration with the NIDO innovation lab of Belgium’s Federal Public Service Policy and Support (BOSA), Enabel launched a call for innovative ideas to support the dairy sector in Niger and Mali in terms of hygiene and quality standards and to strengthen the cold chain. In Niger, IKIC.cool - a Leuven-based startup - piloted a cold-chain tech to improve dairy collection.
In Côte d’Ivoire, Enabel partners with Puratos to support cocoa growers in enhancing fermentation and drying processes. Puratos complements the project with investments in cacao transformation units and farmer training. Enabel supports marketing, governance, and facilitates fairtrade certification in line with EU deforestation regulations.
“We are proud of our partnership with Enabel and our network of cooperatives to further expand our sustainable Cocoa Trace programme in Côte d'Ivoire. This quality-oriented approach creates added value not only for farmers, but also for our customers. The expertise of Enabel’s local team is indispensable here.”
In Senegal, Waterleau partnered with Wasser Aram to equip a water treatment plant through the PEM-WECCO initiative. Through these partnerships, Enabel channels private expertise toward sustainable, inclusive impact.
Skills mobility and entrepreneurship: Bridges for the future
In a context of demographic transition, well-managed mobility is becoming a catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable development. Enabel promotes skills and entrepreneurial mobility as key levers to create opportunities for individuals, especially young people, while strengthening socio-economic development in countries of origin and destination.
Entrepreneurial mobility lies at the heart of Enabel’s initiatives. Through the “Pilots for Entrepreneurial Mobility” (PEM), Enabel supports entrepreneurial ecosystems in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Belgium by fostering mutually beneficial partnerships between businesses. Under the PEM Wecco’ and PEM N’Zassa projects, selected entrepreneurs benefit from international training, business trips to Belgium and personalised follow-up. To date, around 60 partnerships have been formed, leading to joint ventures, import/export collaborations, and technology exchanges.
Examples include a partnership between Belgian company Multi G and Senegal’s Askcare to supply cervical cancer prevention solutions in rural health posts, and a collaboration between Kanarimagik (Senegal) and Jeux d’Eden (Belgium) in cultural industries. In Côte d’Ivoire, Hans Compagnie and Belgian firm D-Carbonize partnered to offer carbon assessment services.
Skills mobility is equally essential. The THAMM project (Towards a Holistic Approach to Labour Migration Governance) in Morocco, Tunisia and Belgium enhances collaboration between public employment services, vocational training centres and businesses in sectors facing labour shortages, such as ICT, construction and industry. This cooperation led to common tools and approaches to better match labour market needs and harmonise training standards.
It's not over yet! The full version of the printed report is available on our website:
Subscribe to the Enabel Newsletter and receive our latest news in your mailbox every month:
Photos credits: Djibril Dia, Colin Delfosse, Momar Diol, Elias Halabi.
© Enabel
Built with Shorthand