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African Development Bank at the 10th World Water Forum: showcasing commitment to facilitating access to water and sanitation resources in Africa

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World Water Forum

Bank and African Water Facility delegation to co-host and participate in more than a dozen forum events in Bali, Indonesia

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 22, 2024/APO Group/ — 

The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) will highlight the importance of preparation, financing and coordination for water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives across Africa at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia. The Bank and the African Water Facility’s delegations to the world’s largest international gathering of water sector partners will share insights, strategies and stories of sustainable development successes from the continent.

The World Water Forum, held every three years since 1997, draws thousands of participants from politics, academia, multilateral institutions, civil society, and the private sector to discuss water-related issues. This year’s Forum is co-organized by the World Water Council and the Republic of Indonesia, under the theme, “Water for Shared Prosperity.”

“The African Development Bank is committed to contributing to sustainable economic growth and progress in Africa. Our participation at this forum adds to the Bank’s ongoing efforts towards a prosperous Africa where everyone has access to essential resources such as water and sanitation,” said African Water Facility Coordinator Mtchera Chirwa, who will represent the Bank Group’s president, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina at the forum.

“I am delighted to lead this delegation to share strategies from the Bank’s work, strengthen collaboration, and forge new partnerships to accelerate progress in Africa’s water sector,” he said.

The delegation from the Bank will join a high-level meeting of the G20 Bali Global Blended Finance Alliance, where the Indonesian government and partners will launch the Alliance Secretariat and hold a roundtable discussion on Global South collaboration.

Our participation at this forum adds to the Bank’s ongoing efforts towards a prosperous Africa where everyone has access to essential resources such as water and sanitation

The Bank will host and speak at more than a dozen Forum sessions, including an event on Tuesday 21 May presenting the African Water Facility’s Africa Urban Sanitation Investment initiative – a new financing window dedicated to improving sanitation in Africa’s urban areas. Debjyoty Mukherjee, Principal Public-Private Partnership Finance expert at the African Water Facility, will lead the discussion.

On Wednesday, 22 May, Chirwa will moderate a session on “Innovative Financing and Resource Mobilization for Climate-resilient Water and Sanitation Investments”. This event will focus on the importance of project preparation and coordination for water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives across Africa, backed by innovative financing solutions. He will also speak at the closing ceremony of the Basin Segment Day, in the “Roundtable of Basin Champions” on Wednesday.

In addition, members of the Bank delegation will speak or moderate during the following sessions:

  • “Roundtable of multilateral development banks” – Monday, 20 May.
  • “From incubation to financing: developing projects of climate change adaptation in basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers” high-level event – Monday, 20 May
  •  “High-level Panel on “Non-Conventional Water Resources and Associated Renewable Energies” – Tuesday, 21 May
  •  “Benefits from Transboundary Water Cooperation in the Nile Basin” – Wednesday, 22 May
  • the Bank’s water and sanitation investment areas and Bank projects such as the Kigali Bulk Water Supply System (https://apo-opa.co/3wLcCEF) – Wednesday, 22 May
  •  “The African Water Facility”, Africa’s project preparation facility for the development of climate-resilient water and sanitation investments – Thursday, 23 May
  •  “The African Development Bank and the Private Sector” – Friday, 24 May

The Bank’s delegation will meet with donors and business leaders to discuss partnerships and funding to meet Africa’s growing need for better water and sanitation services. The Bank is also co-hosting the Africa Pavilion alongside the African Union Commission, African Ministers’ Council on Water, and the African Water Facility. This collaboration aims to present a unified narrative and share knowledge from Africa’s water sector to enrich the global dialogue at the forum.

For more information on the African Development Bank’s activities at the 10th World Water Forum and to engage with the discussions, visit www.AfDB.org. Follow the conversation on social media with the hashtags #WorldWaterForum10, #AfDB, and #Bali2024.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

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The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

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Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

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The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

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Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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