October 12, 2009
DID honoured by Forum Africa
Lévis, October 8, 2009
It was before an audience of business leaders and diplomats, and in the presence of His Excellency Alpha Oumar Konaré, former president of Mali and former Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, that Développement international Desjardins (DID) received the Business Award for Capacity building in Africa.
This prestigious award was presented to DID at the gala dinner that concluded the first day of the fourth edition of Forum Africa, held October 5, 6 and 7 in Montreal. The award represents public recognition of the exceptional work that the Desjardins Group has been carrying out through its subsidiary DID for nearly 40 years in over twenty countries in Africa.
By offering its expertise in microfinance and support for the creation, development and strengthening of local financial institutions, DID provides thousands of Africans with access to financial products and services. These products and services enable them to better manage their savings, start up businesses, and in so doing improve their standard of living.
Having contributed to many DID projects in Africa, Serge Gosselin, Director for Market Development at Développement international Desjardins, felt honoured by this recognition. "Desjardins has a special attachment to Africa and we are very pleased to see that the projects we have undertaken there are recognized both in Africa and here," he stated on receiving the award.
About DID
Créé il y a 39 ans, Développement international Desjardins (DID) est une composante du Mouvement des caisses Desjardins, le plus important groupe financier coopératif au Canada. DID appuie la création, le développement et le renforcement d’institutions financières dans une vingtaine de pays d’Afrique, d’Amérique latine, des Antilles, d’Asie et d’Europe centrale et de l’Est. Spécialisé en appui technique et en investissement dans le domaine de la finance de proximité, DID s’appuie sur la richesse et la diversité de l’expérience acquise au fil de ses collaborations avec de nombreux partenaires, ainsi que sur les quelque 100 ans d'expérience du Mouvement des caisses Desjardins. DID est partenaire de l’Agence canadienne de développement international, de la Banque mondiale, de la Banque interaméricaine de développement, de la Fondation Bill-et-Melinda-Gates et d’autres organismes multilatéraux.
About Desjardins
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada, and the ninth largest in the world, with overall assets of approximately $160 billion. Drawing on the strength of its caisse network in Québec and Ontario, as well as its subsidiaries, several of which are active throughout Canada, Desjardins offers a full range of financial products and services to its 5.8 million individual and business members and clients. Desjardins Group is also home to a wealth of expertise in property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance, wealth management, services for businesses of all sizes, securities brokerage, venture capital, asset management and secure leading-edge virtual access methods, all part of an integrated offer that is the only one of its kind in Canada. One of the largest employers in the country, Desjardins is backed by the knowledge and skills of its 42,000 employees and the commitment of its 6,300 elected officers. To find out more, consult www.desjardins.com.
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Information :
Caroline Phémius
Desjardins Group
514 281-7000, ext. 7646 -- 1 866 866-7000
caroline.phemius@desjardins.com
