FMO is a Dutch development bank structured as a bilateral private-sector international financial institution based in the Hague, the Netherlands. Among others, FMO manages funds for the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economic Affairs of the Dutch government to maximize the development impact of private sector investments. It is licensed as a bank and supervised by the Dutch Central Bank.
The Dutch government holds 51% of the shares, but FMO operates as a commercial company. Due to its relationship with the Dutch government, it is able to take risks which commercial financiers are not able or not prepared to take. FMO holds a triple A rating from Standard and Poor's and Fitch Ratings. As of, the bank's total asset valuation was €11.10 billion (US$12.3 billion), and its shareholders' equity was €3.45 billion (US$3.82 billion).[4]
FMO's mandate is to provide long term capital for projects in countries in which commercial investors do not yet dare to invest. It invests risk capital in companies and financial institutions in developing countries and has a strict policy on maximizing development impact with a methodology designed to make sure that FMO's return on investment is not just financial but also has