EBRD and UBCI Sign €10 Million Risk Sharing Facility to Support Private Sector Development in Tunisia
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and UBCI have signed a €10 million risk sharing facility to support the development of the private sector in Tunisia. This agreement strengthens the long-standing partnership between the two institutions and aims to promote investment and private sector growth in the country.
First Transaction Under the Risk Sharing Facility
The renewed facility is already being implemented through its first transactions. In this context, UBCI is providing €3.5 million in financing to Agua Services d'Assainissement (ASA), a project company owned by Aguas de Portugal and Maghrebia Technologies & Travaux. ASA is responsible for rehabilitating, operating, and maintaining the sanitation infrastructure in Greater Tunis under a concession contract with the National Sanitation Office (ONAS).
Financing Details
The financing includes a €3 million senior loan guaranteed by the EBRD for equipment acquisition and a €0.5 million renewable working capital facility guaranteed by the EBRD. This transaction is the first EBRD operation under the Risk Sharing Facility for a concession project and only the second infrastructure project financed under the RSF. It is also the first infrastructure project financed by the EBRD under the RSF in the SEMED region and the first private sector infrastructure transaction financed by the EBRD in Tunisia.
Project Details
The concession covers the rehabilitation of the existing Chotrana II wastewater treatment plant, improving the quality of treated wastewater, and operating and maintaining a large sanitation network serving Greater Tunis.
Additional Support
ASA will also benefit from an EBRD FINTECC grant of up to €311,110 to optimize resource use and facilitate technology transfer through the introduction of climate technologies.
Partnership Between EBRD and UBCI
The partnership between the EBRD and UBCI dates back to 2014 and has developed over the years through various financial instruments supporting private sector growth in Tunisia. The Risk Sharing Facility allows the EBRD to share risks with partner financial institutions, contributing to mobilizing financing for investments that promote economic growth, private sector strengthening, and improved access to finance.
About the EBRD
The EBRD is a multilateral bank that promotes private sector development and entrepreneurial initiative in 40 economies across three continents. The Bank is owned by 77 countries, as well as the European Union and the European Investment Bank (EIB). EBRD investments aim to make the economies in its regions of operation competitive, inclusive, well-governed, green, resilient, and integrated. For more information, follow us on our website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and YouTube.
About UBCI
Founded in 1961, UBCI has a network of 92 agencies and 112 DABs operating in the heart of Tunisia's main economic centers. UBCI offers a wide range of products and services to its individual and professional clients, covering their various needs in terms of daily banking, project financing, bancassurance, and wealth management. UBCI also serves its corporate and institutional clients through its specialized teams in cash management, market activities, investment banking, international trade, financial engineering, and leasing. Certified ISO 9001 for its international activities since 2002 and for its monetary activities since 2012, UBCI is also the first bank in Tunisia to have obtained the "engagé RSE" and "Responsability Europe" labels from AFNOR Certification thanks to its CSR approach.
