The Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE) is a joint institution of the African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union (EU), within the framework of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement. Its mandate consists in supporting the development of the ACP private sector.
The Centre provides non-financial services (consultancy services, technical assistance, studies, training) to ACP enterprises and to joint initiatives of ACP and EU economic operators.
CDE’s financial resources mainly originate from the European Development Fund (EDF). They are complemented by resources from third parties (beneficiaries’, governments’ or partners’ own budgets; private funds).
Initially set up in 1977 under the Lomé Convention, as the Centre for the Development of Industry (CDI), the CDE has a long-standing experience of 37 years in supporting the ACP private sector.
It operates in complementarity with other EU-ACP initatives and programmes of support to the private sector at macro, meso or micro levels, including the EIB Investment Facility, BizClim, ColeACP, etc.