IFC’s Conflict Affected States in Africa (CASA) Initiative, launched in 2008, is helping design and implement integrated strategies targeted to support economic recovery and growth in eight sub Saharan African countries: Burundi, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan.
The Initiative is supported by Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway. Denmark and Sweden provide additional support in South Sudan and Liberia respectively.
The CASA Initiative helps countries recover from conflict by focussing on:
Improving the business environment through regulatory reform
Strengthening small and medium sized businesses and support institutions, such as chambers of commerce
Rebuilding financial markets, banks, and other financial institutions
Increasing private sector involvement in providing and rebuilding infrastructure such as roads, ports, schools, and power stations