R1.5 billion to fund infrastructure projects in SA

The European Union (EU) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) have jointly launched a R1.5-billion Page Content
Infrastructure Investment Programme for South Africa (IIPSA) to provide grant funding in support of loans for essential infrastructure projects in South Africa and the region.?
The fund was established following a joint initiative between the South African government of South Africa and the EU and forms part of the latter’s broader intervention under its country strategy for South Africa.
 
DBSA chief executive Patrick Dlamini said: “We view this programme as a strategic intervention to fund South Africa’s national and regional infrastructure projects, especially at the critical initial stages to prepare projects to bankability.”
  
In order to be eligible to receive financial assistance from the IIPSA fund, projects must comply with the following criteria:
• The project must either be a South African project or
• A regional project which must be a trans-border initiative involving two or more countries in the SADC region with a demonstrable regional impact on one or more countries.
 
Key priority sectors will include: energy, transport, water and environment, ICT and social infrastructure. DBSA says a ‘Request for Proposals’ will be issued early next month inviting potential recipients to propose infrastructure investments.