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About us

DEG – more than financing

For 60 years DEG has been a reliable partner to private-sector companies and financial service providers operating in developing markets. After all, the private sector is an important driver of development. Our customers are mainly based in developing and emerging-market countries as well as in Germany and other industrialised nations.

DEG has around 650 employees, who are investing a great deal of commitment and expertise. They work in Cologne and in one of DEG's other 18 locations around the globe. Since 2001 we have been a subsidiary of KfW. We reach private enterprises in developing countries in two ways: One way is to finance them directly with loans and equity investments. The other is to invest in local banks and financiers, which in turn supply mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the ground with financing. We provide them with financing on market terms from our own funds.

We provide our customers with capital to enable them to grow and progress sustainably - capital that is often difficult to obtain, particularly in developing countries. And we offer much more than financing: We give targeted advice to the companies we co-finance as they plan and implement their investments. After all, expertise and experienced partners are key to successful investments in challenging markets. We provide finance and advice to:

private-sector companies that invest in sustainable infrastructure projects in developing and emerging-market countries, particularly renewable energy, telecommunications, transport infrastructure, and utilities and waste disposal,

companies from the industrial, commercial and services sector in developing and emerging-market countries, as well as investment vehicles that provide equity finance to private companies in these countries,

banks, financial institutions and specialist funders that provide reliable access to financing, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries.

We shape transformation

We are experiencing dynamic change in all regions of the world. It particularly includes climate change, the consequences of which impact developing countries most of all. Factors such as digitisation are acting as further catalysts of transformation. We aim to provide specific support to companies that are focussing on the opportunities associated with transformation.

We have set ourselves the goal of jointly developing and structuring business-oriented solutions for sustainable and economically viable transformation together with our customers. To do so, we will also continue to expand DEG's advisory services. In this way we want to make an even more effective contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and carbon neutrality.

This is because, as a development finance institution, local impact is decisive: We promote investments by companies that create skilled jobs and local income, and which deliver added value and enhance the infrastructure on the ground. While also being committed to making responsible use of natural resources. This includes imposing a contractual requirement on the companies that we finance to comply with international ESG standards, while also actively supporting them in implementing these principles.

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Our organisation

We are a subsidiary of KfW. Read more about the structure, the corporate bodies and the supervisory board of DEG.

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Responsibility

DEG has made a commitment to act responsibly and transparently according to the principles of good governance. Here you can find more information on this topic.

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Sustainability in action

We expect sustainable business practices from our business partners. To the same degree we set ourselves high standards in order to operate economically and under environmentally and socially responsible conditions.

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DEG Impact

DEG Impact, a DEG subsidiary, offers consultancy services for the "AfricaGrow" fund. This fund is part of the German government's Development Investment Fund and provides equity capital for SMEs and start-ups.

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DEG Impulse

DEG’s subsidiary DEG Impulse is empowering businesses for social and ecological transition in developing economies. They offer impactful advisory and funding solutions, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.

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More information

  • DEG Representative Offices

    Our locations

    Find out about your contact persons at our 19 locations worldwide.

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  • International Financing

    International Financing

    KfW is creating prospects - worldwide

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  • DEG Newsletter

    DEG-Newsletter

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  • DEG Building Cologne

    Contact

    This is how you get in touch with our head office in Cologne.

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