The Special Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) 2025 and its Associated Meetings were held from January 22-24, 2025, in Langkawi, Malaysia. Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), Dato’ Mad Zaidi bin Mohd Karli, as the SOME Chair, led the discussion on the planning of the work plan of ASEAN energy cooperation for the year ahead.

The Meeting endorsed the Priority Economic Deliverable (PED) and Priorities of the energy sector to be implemented in 2025 under Malaysia Chairmanship. Notably, the Meeting endorsed the text of ASEAN Power Grid (APG) Enhanced MoU including its Term of Reference (ToR) APG Related Bodies, as well as the ASEAN Framework Agreement for Petroleum Security, which are planned to be signed this year.

Visit the ASEAN Official Website for More News – More Energy News

The Fourth Meeting of ASEAN – Russian Federation Tourism Ministers (M-ATM Plus Russian Federation) was held on 20 January 2025, in conjunction with the 28th Meeting of ASEAN Tourism Ministers in Johor, Malaysia. H.E. Datuk Wira Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman, Secretary General, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, chaired the meeting, with Mr. Igor Maksimov, Deputy Director, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, serving as Co-Chair. Additionally, H.E. Mr. Vladimir Ilichev, Deputy Minister of the Economic Development of the Russian Federation, also delivered his recorded remarks. The Fourth M-ATM Plus Russian Federation was preceded by the 15th ASEAN-Russian Federation Tourism Consultation Meeting on 17 January 2025.

The Meeting acknowledged the increasing importance of ASEAN-Russian Federation tourism collaboration as a platform to strengthen cultural exchanges, deepen people-to-people ties, and foster economic growth. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, ASEAN Member States remain among the preferred destinations for the Russian tourists. According to the Russian statistics, from January to September 2024, Russia welcomed 39,0001 visitors from ASEAN Member States, while approximately 1,665,1102 Russian nationals travelled to ASEAN countries as of Q3 in 2024.

Download the full statement here.

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The pan-African development insurer is set to host its 2025 Annual General Meeting and Investor Roundtable in Luanda, Angola, from 18 to 21 June

NAIROBI, Kenya, February 4, 2025/APO Group/ — 

In an effort to promote the growing need for effective risk management in Africa, ATIDI (www.ATIDI.Africa) hosted a webinar focused on the role of development insurance. The session brought together media stakeholders from across the continent – to understand how innovative insurance solutions are driving sustainable development, mitigating risks and fostering economic growth. With a special emphasis on the African market, the session provided a deep dive into strategies that are transforming the landscape of development insurance.

Download presentation: https://apo-opa.co/3ColzGY

Development insurance plays a pivotal role in fostering economic growth by providing investment, trade and political risk-mitigation covers designed to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into development projects. Unlike traditional insurance, development insurance is a specialized field focused on creating a secure environment for investors by addressing unique risks.

ATIDI exemplifies this approach by offering tailored solutions that mitigate risks and provide investors with an added layer of security and confidence. This assurance enables them to engage in critical development projects, knowing their capital and interests are safeguarded against unforeseen challenges such as political instability, currency inconvertibility and default risks. Through its innovative and specialized products, ATIDI is not only facilitating FDI but also driving sustainable development across Africa, transforming perceived risks into opportunities for economic advancement.

ATIDI, legally known as the African Trade Insurance Agency, was founded in 2001 by African States and with technical and financial backing from COMESA and the World Bank, to cover trade and investment risks of companies doing business in Africa. At that time, the continent attracted a bleak USD47 billion dollars of FDI, due in part to perceived or actual risk for interested investors. Though this figure has improved, Africa’s financing gap remains abysmal, with USD200 billion in additional investment needed to achieve the SDGs by 2030 [1].

ATIDI has grown to 24 Member States (https://apo-opa.co/3CKjViM) and 13 institutional shareholders. The organization aspires to eventually have all African countries as members. In pursuit of this goal, ATIDI has established and strengthened strategic partnerships with leading development and financing institutions, including the African Union, the African Development Bank, the World Bank Group, the European Investment Bank, KfW and Norad. ATIDI has earned an A2 rating with a stable outlook from Moody’s and an A rating with a stable outlook from S&P, reflecting its financial strength and credibility.

ATIDI has demonstrated resilience amid challenging market conditions, achieving profit growth while strategically managing its risk and exposure. The organization continues to support trade and investment across Africa with a portfolio of over USD85 billion since inception. ATIDI is implementing an ambitious 2023-2027 corporate strategy, targeting capital of USD1 billion and membership increase by 25%, while optimizing it processes and systems.

By providing tailored risk solutions, we empower African economies, improve livelihoods, and contribute to long-term development, all while fostering greater trade and investment

ATIDI has supported several flagship projects across Africa, showcasing its commitment to sustainable economic growth and financial stability. The 20 MW Ituka West Nile Uganda Ltd solar project (https://apo-opa.co/42Ig94m) promotes renewable energy access. In Benin and Togo, ATIDI supported the refinancing and re-profiling of existing loans (https://apo-opa.co/4hzGBkK), underscoring ATIDI’s commitment to supporting financial stability and economic reforms. Furthermore, ATIDI has been supporting key infrastructure transactions, including road and irrigation projects in Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, and Senegal among others. In all these countries, ATIDI’s comprehensive credit risk insurance enabled access to longer debt tenures, and a reduced all-in interest rate. In collaboration with MDBs, ATIDI has provided cover for blended finance transactions such as in the BITA Water Project in Angola (World Bank), improving access to clean water and sanitation and an SDG loan in Benin (AfDB). Furthermore, ATIDI’s Regional Liquidity Support Facility (RLSF) (https://apo-opa.co/4hKkgRo) enhances bankability by providing risk mitigation for development initiatives in renewable energy.

The pan-African development insurer is set to host its 2025 Annual General Meeting and Investor Roundtable in Luanda, Angola, from 18 to 21 June.

Quote from Manuel Moses, CEO, ATIDI

“ATIDI is at the center of the solution to Africa’s development agenda. Our unique risk-mitigating solutions are essential to enable transformational projects benefiting African countries and their citizens. We are well on our journey to one day count each African country as a Member State and fully realize the noble vision of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). As we work towards this goal, we strive to preserve the support of our Member States in upholding our Preferred Creditor Status, to leverage collaboration with other actors in our industry and to strengthen our bond with our strategic partners”

Quote from Benjamin Mugisha, Chief Underwriting Officer, ATIDI

“Business trends are rapidly evolving, and at ATIDI, we are continuously adapting our product line-up to meet the changing needs of our clients. One key focus has been the development of innovative solutions tailored specifically for SMEs. These businesses play a crucial role in driving economic growth, particularly in Africa, and we are committed to providing them with risk management tools that they need to thrive. By providing tailored risk solutions, we empower African economies, improve livelihoods, and contribute to long-term development, all while fostering greater trade and investment opportunities across the continent.”

Quote from Dr. Anthony Ehimare, Chief Risk Officer, ATIDI

Investing in Africa comes with the risks, among which figure debt distress, political volatility, lingering insecurity or again persisting gaps in governance. But recent global crises demonstrate that volatility and uncertainty may be the new norm in international business. ATIDI’s track record has proven that our unique market insight, our solid partnerships, our risk assessment and adapted mitigation mechanisms provide investors with the comfort level they need to further engage in Africa. We remain committed to continue providing this superior quality to our partners and clients.

[1]: UNCTAD Global Investment Trends Monitor, No. 46 (https://apo-opa.co/3CCKNkQ)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI).