Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) is the official development cooperation agency of the Government of Denmark under the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Danish Development Policy focuses upon eradication of poverty and ensuring sustainable development. It works in selected countries referred to as programme countries and provides support to NGOs as well as governmental agencies. DANIDA has been providing aid mostly to Africa in the recent years.

Trade, foreign policy, and development co-operation fall under the remit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), with the Minister for Development Co-operation being responsible for all matters relating to Danish development cooperation.

Danida Business Explorer provides financial support to Danish companies who wish to investigate a specific business opportunity in a number of developing countries. The proposed project must address a development need in the developing country and must focus on contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. Danida Business Explorer gives financial support to share the Danish company’s costs related to an investigation of a specific project in the developing country. The maximum financial assistance is 50 % of the total actual costs with a maximum of DKK 500,000. General market studies and analysis cannot be financed under Danida Business Explorer, and it is, therefore, assumed that the company has already identified a particular business opportunity. The Danish company must have at least 3 million DKK in equity, have at least five full-time professional staff, and the project must be part of the company’s core business. Danida Business Explorer is available in countries with a GNI below USD 4,034 per capita (the World Bank limit for Lower Middle-Income Countries) and with a Danish representation. Danish companies can also apply for financial support to study the possibility of offering Danish solutions in humanitarian situations, in cooperation with humanitarian organizations. This applies in a number of countries where Denmark is engaged in humanitarian work.

Danida Business Finance (DBF) can provide access to finance and can leverage finance for sustainable infrastructure in developing countries based on the countries’ development strategies, delivering measurable results toward the SDG’s that create growth and employment in developing countries. Danida Business Finance (DBF) offers subsidized loans to infrastructure projects in developing countries with income per capita below USD 4,035 and with a Danish representation (see country list). The projects must contribute to sustainable development in the recipient country in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

A typical loan has ten years maturity and is issued in USD or EUR. The buyer/borrower repays the loan in equal, semi-annual installments, normally starting six months after the commissioning of the project. The borrower will pay only a commitment and a management fee.

Only projects that are commercially non-viable can be financed; that is projects that do not generate enough profit to service a loan on commercial terms.

Danida Contracts is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs/DANIDA's term for contracts with companies in relation to the implementation of the Danish Development Cooperation.

The overall objective of Danida Market Development Partnerships is to contribute to sustainable economic growth and employment in developing countries. This is done by supporting partnerships that combine knowledge and resources from several actors. The partnership facility features an innovative approach to the involvement of the private sector and contributes to motivating and mobilizing private sector investments. The aim is to contribute to sustainable market development in developing countries that promotes the achievement of the UN Global Goals. The focus is on the Goal 8 in particular – promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. The point of departure for a partnership project is a business idea driven by one or more private businesses. Danida support is given to combine knowledge and resources from different actors with the aim to ensure wider development results. A partnership must as a minimum include a private business and a non-commercial partner.

DANAK is a service company handling the administration of accreditation and metrology in Denmark and is based on a contract with the Danish Safety Technology Authority, which is part of the Danish Ministry of Economics and Business Affairs. The primary activities are accreditation and metrology. DANAK cooperates with a number of international organizations to ensure that Danish regulations and demands in the areas of accreditation and metrology are at an international level and recognized globally.

As of January 2007, the Research Network for Governance, Economic Policy and Public Administration (GEPPA), the Network for Agricultural Research for Development (NETARD), and the Research Network for Environment and Development (ReNED) merged into the Danish Development Research Network (DDRN). The purpose of the merger was to enhance cross-sectoral North-South collaboration and coordination of research for development. DDRN supports DANIDA in the area of research and policy formulation. DDRN’s development objective is to contribute to the inclusion of research and research-based knowledge in development assistance and partner countries’ development activities. It facilitates thematic platforms in such areas as trade, the private sector, and economic development.

DPTO has been involved for over ten years with international projects which support the development of an efficient intellectual property infrastructure worldwide. The geographical scope of its activities has mainly been Central and Eastern Europe, but during the last few years, it has expanded its operations into Asia and the Middle East. It cooperates mainly with governmental institutions but also assists private consultancy companies working with IPR-projects. Its main fields of expertise include capacity building, inter-institutional cooperation and enforcement of IPR.

DANSK is Denmark’s national standardization body and one of the leading certification enterprises in Denmark. It works within a national framework set by the Ministry for Economic and Business Affairs, which sets out the body’s activities as a national standardization organization. Danish Standards develops and publishes standards, and provides training and offers consultancy services to the public and private sectors. In addition, it has been designated as the national enquiry point for the WTO, in which capacity it assists foreign companies with their exports to Denmark and is responsible for notification to the WTO on national technical regulations which may constitute technical barriers to trade.

Danish Trade Council: The Trade Council of Denmark is the link between Danish exporters and over 100 Danish embassies, consulates general and trade commissions abroad. It is part of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its customer unit arranges individual, non-binding meetings with enterprises about opportunities in the export markets. A number of experienced export consultants in its customer unit provide enterprises with specific market information and support their export promotion. The Trade Council offers professional help on export planning and market information.

EKF is Denmark’s Export Credit Agency. It helps Danish companies make it possible and attractive for customers abroad to purchase Danish products. EKF does so by helping raise financing and by insuring companies and banks against the potential financial and political risks of trading with other countries. It assists both large and small companies and provides solutions tailored for companies specific needs.

ICROFS is an expansion of the former Danish Agricultural Research Centre for Organic Farming (DARCOF), to which the Danish Government has provided an international mandate and an international board. The Secretariat of ICROFS initiates coordinates and participates in national and international research activities in organic farming and food systems. It is also active in disseminating organic research results and knowledge on the importance of organic food systems. It promotes understanding of the characteristics of organic food systems and contributes to a knowledge-based development of organic food systems, nationally and internationally.

IFU provides advisory services and risk capital to Danish companies wishing to do business in developing countries and emerging markets. IFU invests on a commercial basis by committing equity capital or by providing loans or guarantees to project companies with Danish investors or a Danish interest. The purpose is to contribute to economic and social development in the host countries and enhance the opportunities of Danish trade and industry in new emerging markets. IFU and IFU managed funds have co-invested with Danish companies in more than 1200 companies in 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and parts of Europe. Committed investments total DKK 169 billion, of which IFU has contributed nearly DKK 18 billion. Through the years, the funds have gained considerable insight and knowledge about the potential strengths and pitfalls of partnership. IFU is an independent, self-governing fund associated with the Ministry for Development Cooperation, which appoints the Fund’s board of directors and its managing director. In all other matters, IFU is a self-governing institution with a special obligation and commitment to proper management, high environmental standards and social responsibility in investment projects in developing countries.

DI is a lobbying organization for Danish business on national and international issues. Its membership consists of private enterprises within the manufacturing and services sectors and covers virtually all sub-sectors. DI is financed and owned by its members and governed by a council and executive committee elected by the annual general assembly. Its activities are categorized as: (i) policy advocacy – at local, national and international level; (ii) membership services – information, advisory and consulting services; and (iii) network relations – between members and with society at large.

DIIS is an independent research institution engaged in research in international affairs. It draws up reports and analyses and follows developments in international affairs to assess the status of Denmark’s security and foreign policy, including aspects of relevance to development policy. Its research unit “Global Economy, Regulation and Development” (GEARED) explores development issues in the broader setting of current trends and transformations in the global economy. DIIS contributes to the education of researchers, supports the development of research capacity in developing countries and establishes links between Danish and international research environments.

This is an independent research institute at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (KVL) in Denmark. FOI provides undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. programmes in agricultural economics, international and development economics, and environmental and resource economics. Its mission is to contribute to a better understanding of the economic aspects of the production, consumption and marketing of agricultural and food products. It has long-held experience in providing applied-research-based analyses to policy makers in Danish and foreign governments as well as in international organizations. It participates in a large number of international research projects. Its most recent tasks have been to closely survey, analyze and discuss the economic effects of developed countries agricultural policies on their countries, considering both existing policies and policy reform scenarios that reflect the ongoing WTO trade negotiations.

The Danish Technological Institute is a self-owned and non-profit institution. It develops, applies and disseminates research and technological knowledge for the Danish and International business sector. Its International Centre has been designed to coordinate international activities at DTI in such areas as: (i) environment/cleaner production technology; (ii) standardization, certification and quality infrastructures; (iii) human resource development; and (iv) SME business development. DTI implements a wide range of development projects throughout the world, most of which are funded by the EU, DANIDA, the World Bank, the United Nations and other international donors.