U.S. Africa Green and Sustainable Financing Workshop

AGENDA

EVENT WEBSITE

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM GMT
Registration

9:00 AM – 9:20 AM GMT

Welcome Remarks

  • The Honorable Enoh T. Ebong, Director, U.S. Trade and Development Agency
  • Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala, Senior Vice President, African Development Bank Group

9:20 AM – 9:30 AM GMT
Côte d'Ivoire Minister of Environment Remarks 

  • Jacques Assahoré Konan, Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, Côte d'Ivoire

9:30 AM - 10:15 AM GMT


Session 1: Building U.S.-Africa Partnerships for Green and Sustainable Financing 

A conversation to kick off the workshop's focus on building U.S. and African partnerships to enable green and sustainable financing in Africa.

Moderator: Sarah Whitten, Regional Manager, Finance and Implementation, U.S. Trade and Development Agency

  • Heather K. Lanigan, Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, U.S. Trade and Development Agency 
  • Solomon Quaynor, Vice-President, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialization, African Development Bank Group

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM GMT

Session 2: Keynote: Mobilizing Financing for Climate and Green Growth in Africa

This keynote address presents a global overview of green and sustainable financing with an emphasis on the latest trends, statistics and current initiatives followed by the status of green capital flows in Africa and related challenges and opportunities. 

Moderator: Dana Younger, Green and Sustainable Financing Expert, Tuatara Group

  • Kevin Urama, Chief Economist and Vice-President, Economic Governance and Knowledge Management Complex, African Development Bank Group

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM GMT

Networking Break: 
U.S. and African organizations enabling green and sustainable projects have tables at the Green and Sustainable Financing Solutions Showcase throughout the workshop. Please visit them during the networking breaks.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM GMT

Session 3: Green Bonds and Sustainable Debt Issuances Now and in the Future

A discussion on current market conditions, how the market has performed and what is expected in the future for successful green bonds and sustainable debt issuances, notably for infrastructure project. 

Moderator: Akane Zoukpo Sanankoua, Chief Capital Markets Officer, African Development Bank Group 

  • Laju Atake, Senior Transactor – Broader Africa Debt Capital Markets, Rand Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited (RMB)
  • Ahmed Attout, Acting Director Financial Sector Development Department, African Development Bank Group
  • Paul O’Connor, Executive Director | Head of EMEA Sustainable Finance -  Debt Capital Markets, JP Morgan Chase 
  • Thapelo Tsheole, President, African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) 

12:30 PM - 13:45 PM GMT

Lunch 

13:45 PM - 14:45 PM GMT
Session 4: Green Financing Opportunities in Africa: Perspectives from U.S. and African Institutional Investors

A discussion on U.S. and African institutional investors' specific criteria, challenges, and interests when considering green project opportunities in Africa. Panelists share best practices including investment trends, market opportunities, and structuring considerations. Opportunities for collaboration to unlock new capital flows into Africa for green financing are identified and discussed.
 
Moderator:  Aymeric Saha, Chief Executive Officer, MiDA Advisors

  • Hamid Asseffar, Head of EMEA Sustainable & Impact Investing, Invesco
  • Max Messervy, Head of Sustainable Investment, Americas, Mercer
  • Asad Mahmood, Chief Executive Officer, Social Investment Managers & Advisors LLC (Sima Funds) 
  • Jackson Nguthu, Director, Supervision Directorate, Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA)
14:45 PM - 15:00 PM GMT
Networking Break
U.S. and African organizations enabling green and sustainable projects have tables at the Green and Sustainable Financing Solutions Showcase throughout the workshop. Please visit them during the networking breaks.
15:00 PM - 16:00 PM  GMT
Session 5: Creating an Enabling Environment for Green and Sustainable Project Financing

A discussion on the need for, and examples of, policies and regulatory frameworks conducive to green and sustainable investments. 

Moderator: David Ashiagbor, Chief Financial Sector Strategy Officer, Financial Sector Development Department, African Development Bank Group

  • Chinua Azubike, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Limited (InfraCredit)
  • Ripert E. H. Bossoukpe, Secretary General, Autorité des Marchés Financiers de l'Union Monétaire Ouest Africaine (AMF-UMOA)
  • Anthony Nyong, Director for Climate Change and Green Growth, African Development Bank Group
  • Shaina Salman, Legal Counsel and Regional Coordinator for West Africa, African Legal Support Facility
16:00 PM - 18:30 PM GMTReception in Lobby of Sofitel Tower
  • The Honorable Enoh T. Ebong, Director, U.S. Trade and Development Agency
  • Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire


Wednesday, March 20, 2024

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM GMTWelcome Remarks
  • Alex Severens, Alternate Executive Director for the United States, African Development Bank Group

9:05 AM - 10:00 AM GMT


Session 1: U.S. Government Tools for Enabling Capital Mobilization for Green and Sustainable Financing

A discussion on the suite of financing and commercial engagement solutions available from various U.S. government agencies, including project preparation, commercial advocacy, multilateral support, and debt financing solutions.

Moderator: Sarah Whitten, Regional Manager, Finance and Implementation, U.S. Trade and Development Agency

  • Ashley Ndir, Senior Commercial Liaison - African Development Bank Group, U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Sonia M. Shahrigian, Resident Country Director, Côte d’Ivoire, Millennium Challenge Corporation, U.S. Embassy, Abidjan
  • Adou Toure, Investment Advisor, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
  • Matthew Turner, Financial Attaché, U.S. Treasury Department
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM GMT
Session 2: Financing Infrastructure for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

A discussion focusing on innovative finance solutions, risk assessment tools (e.g. early warning systems), and other methodologies to advance infrastructure projects supporting climate change adaptation and mitigation. 

Moderator: Bruno Boutes, Business Development, InfraCo Africa

  • Jon-Pierre Fourie , Senior Director, Strategy and Investor Relations, Africa 50
  • Aakif Merchant, Associate Director, Convergence Blended Finance
  • Boitumelo Mosako, Chief Executive Officer, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
  • Moubarak Moukaila, Head of Environment and Climate Finance, West African Development Bank
  • Joseph N’guessan, Regional Manager Transport and Logistics African Development Bank Group 

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM GMT

Networking Break
U.S. and African organizations enabling green and sustainable projects have tables at the Green and Sustainable Financing Solutions Showcase throughout the workshop. Please visit them during the networking breaks.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM GMT
Session 3: The Role of Green and Sustainable Finance in Driving New Technology Deployment 

Massive deployment of new technologies are needed to meet sustainable development objectives. This discussion centers around the role of financial intermediation involving venture capital, private equity and new innovative financing tools to bring these technologies to market. This session will showcase existing and innovative cases in the U.S. and Africa. 

Moderator: Sheila Okiro, Chief Investment Officer | Coordinator ADFI, Financial Inclusion and Intermediation Division, Financial Sector Development Department, African Development Bank Group

  • Ben Kincaid, Chief Executive Officer, ReElement Technologies Africa
  • Christopher Kolosinski, Managing Director, Greeno (Sunculture EDF JV)
  • Emily McAteer, Chief Executive Officer, Odyssey Energy Solution
  • Kate Steel, Chief Executive Officer, Nithio

12:30 PM - 13:45 PM GMT
Lunch  
13:45 PM - 14:45 PM GMT
Session 4: Financing the Energy Transition 

A discussion on financing utility-scale and transformational energy projects to support climate change adaptation and mitigation. Topics include the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) initiatives and other mechanisms such as energy efficiency. Renewable energy projects deployed in Africa are highlighted, focusing on the critical components for successful project implementation. 

Moderator: Dana Younger, Green and Sustainable Financing Expert, Tuatara

  • Amine Berrada, VP, Strategic Business Development, Co-founder, Terabase Energy Inc
  • Alex Douglas, Managing Director and Head of Western Africa, Globeleq
  • Wangari Muchiri, Director of Africa Wind Power - Global Wind Energy Council / Global Renewable Alliance (Nairobi)
  • Daniel Schroth, Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, African Development Bank Group
14:45 PM - 5:15 PM GMT
Networking Break
U.S. and African organizations enabling green and sustainable projects have tables at the Green and Sustainable Financing Solutions Showcase throughout the workshop. Please visit them during the networking breaks.

15:15 PM - 16:15 PM GMT
Session 5:  The Way Forward 

A review of the key takeaways from the event to identify next steps for increasing capital to green and sustainable projects in Africa.

  • Ahmed Attout, Acting Director Financial Sector Development Department, African Development Bank Group
  • Sarah Whitten, Regional Manager for Finance & Implementation, U.S. Trade and Development Agency
16:15 PM - 16:30 PM GMTClosing

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