CDP, AfDB and CDG Invest join forces as CDG enters Growth and Resilience Platform

CDP, Italy’s national development finance institution, is a core architect of the Mattei Plan and works closely with AfDB, Italy’s principal strategic partner for implementation.

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and CDG Invest—the investment branch of Morocco’s Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG) Group—have signed a landmark agreement confirming CDG Invest’s entry into the Growth and Resilience Platform for Africa (GRAf). The announcement was made in Rabat during the 2025 Market Days, the flagship annual gathering of the Africa Investment Forum (AIF).

This milestone marks a major expansion of GRAf, a collaborative co-investment mechanism championed by CDP and AfDB as part of Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa. The plan seeks to strengthen economic, strategic and industrial partnerships with African nations through targeted investments, shared expertise and sustainable development cooperation.

A Key Pillar of the Mattei Plan for Africa

CDP, Italy’s national development finance institution, is a core architect of the Mattei Plan and works closely with AfDB, Italy’s principal strategic partner for implementation. By joining GRAf, CDG Invest will expand the platform’s regional footprint and strengthen Morocco’s role as a bridge between European and African development partners.

GRAf aims to create a robust ecosystem of investors committed to supporting Africa’s private sector—focusing on job creation, enterprise development, and improved access to essential goods and services. Using an indirect investment model deployed through specialized investment funds, the platform seeks to mobilise up to €750 million over five years.

Priority investment areas include:

• Food security and agribusiness transformation

• SME development and entrepreneurship support

• Sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure

• Green and digital innovation ecosystems

Strengthening Partnerships at Africa Investment Forum 2025

A high-level CDP delegation attended the Market Days to deepen strategic partnerships and highlight the central role of the private sector in Africa’s economic transformation. CDP showcased financial instruments supporting Italian and African enterprises, reinforcing cross-border investment and technology exchange.

These engagements reflect Italy’s commitment to mutual growth under the Mattei Plan—supporting African markets while enabling Italian companies to expand into fast-growing sectors across the continent.

Advancing Global Cooperation Through Development Finance

On the sidelines of the Forum, CDP also joined an event hosted by the International Development Finance Club (IDFC) to launch the Cooperation 4 Development Investment Forum. The platform aims to boost collaboration among development banks, promote joint financing, and support scalable, sustainable investment projects.

IDFC—composed of 27 development finance institutions, including CDP—seeks to strengthen the global financial architecture and accelerate sustainable investment flows to combat climate change, enhance resilience, and reduce inequalities.

A New Chapter for Africa’s Investment Landscape

With CDG Invest now formally part of GRAf, the platform gains a significant regional partner capable of mobilizing capital, networks and sector expertise. The collaboration marks a decisive step toward:

• Expanding Africa-focused investment partnerships

• Accelerating private-sector–led growth

• Enhancing resilience through diversified, sustainable development

• Strengthening coordination between European and African financial institutions

The partnership stands as a major achievement for the 2025 Africa Investment Forum and a catalyst for deeper Euro-African cooperation under the Mattei Plan.