"Continue to support an ambitious and effective cooperation policy, focused on delivering concrete impacts"

Dear Partners,

On behalf of Expertise France and all its teams, I would like to send you our very best wishes for 2026.

2025 marked the 10^th anniversary of our agency. Ten years of commitment, innovation and partnerships in support of development, global issues and international cooperation. This anniversary, which we celebrated with you in Paris and in several of our country offices around the world, gave us the opportunity to take stock of our action and outline some prospects for the future. 

Expertise France was created in 2015 through a strong political commitment: bring together and structure French expertise to help our partners strengthen their public policies. In 10 years, we have turned this ambition into reality, with more than 2,400 dedicated employees, including 1,750 in the field in nearly 150 countries. Since 2022, when we joined AFD Group, France has had a unique instrument and model to support our partners, combining financing for development with support for public policies and for the private sector. 

This year again, our agency continued its growth, with a turnover exceeding €560 million and an expanded project portfolio. Despite the unstable geopolitical environment and the significant reduction in resources dedicated to Official Development Assistance at the global and national levels, Expertise France has demonstrated its resilience, agility and determination. Building on the mobilisation of our experts, the professionalism of our teams and the renewed trust of our partners, we are moving forward with our projects and transformations, in support of institutions and the most vulnerable populations, in crisis-affected areas, fragile States, as well as in emerging economies and within the European Union. These dynamics are aligned with the growth path of Agence Française de Developpement Group, whose level of activity stood at €13.7 billion in 2025, on par with 2024. 

At Expertise France, our teams have implemented nearly 500 projects around the world this year in key areas: support for youth and women’s rights, innovation and education, health, security, governance, European integration, and the fight against climate change and pandemics. We have also moved forward with the decentralisation of our activities, strengthening our operational presence in 147 countries, with 15 countries now covered by a country office and 21 shared offices. This expanded presence in several priority geographical areas — primarily in Africa, including Angola, Ethiopia and Madagascar — reflects our commitment to gear our activities closely to your needs, in line with France’s priorities.

In 2026, we will strengthen synergies within AFD Group by pooling certain services both in Paris and in the field, including with the first Group Country Office in Haiti. Our aim is to strengthen the effectiveness of our action and be more responsive to the needs of our clients and partners. For the year ahead, my wish is for Expertise France to continue its support for an ambitious and effective cooperation policy, focused on delivering concrete impacts for our partners and people, and ensuring our accountability towards the French people, who remain attached to the values of international solidarity and to safeguarding global interests.

I wish to extend to you and your teams my very best wishes for success, cooperation and commitment in 2026.