SDGs Partnership Fund Supports Private Sector Projects in Developing Countries

The Sustainable Development Goals Partnership Fund of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland has the objective to encourage Icelandic businesses to collaborate with private sector and other partners in developing countries on business projects. The overall aim is to reduce poverty and support job creation and sustainable growth in the poorest countries of the world in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. Special emphasis is placed on women's job creation and projects which have a positive environmental impact.

Projects can receive up to 50% of total funding and maximum of 200.000 EUR. Contributions can be made to projects in low-income countries, lower middle- income countries and selected higher middle-income countries (SIDS’s), according the DAC list of the OECD.

The fund was established in 2018 and has already enabled several projects in Africa and Asia. One such project is CARICE, by the Icelandic company Fisheries Technologies. The pilot project has the primary objective to introduce the latest technology for fisheries data management in small island developing states (SIDS) in the Caribbean. The goal is to improve data- collection and management for evidence-based decision-making. The project is co-funded by the SDGs Partnership Fund and Fisheries Technologies as well as the target countries in the Caribbean. Fisheries Technologies ehf. draws experience from the Icelandic fishing industry and from the fisheries governance in Iceland. The company offers an innovative cloud-based data management tool for fisheries governance.

Next deadline for applications is October 15, 2021. Applicants must be Icelandic private sector businesses.

For further information about the SDGs Partnership Fund please visit www.mfa.is/sdgfund
Contact: edda@mfa.is