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Finance in Common Summit 2022: Five Public Development Banks sign Paris Gender Declaration

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Finance in Common Summit

Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment makes absolute economic sense – Malado Kaba

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, October 21, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Five new public development banks have signed onto the Paris Development Banks Statement on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (https://bit.ly/3gsK760) Paris Development Banks Statement on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment. .

The new signatories are CAF- Development Bank of Latin America; Development Bank of Rwanda; Cassa Depositi e Prestiti – Italian Investment Bank; Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA); and the Dutch development agency, FMO.

Malado Kaba, African Development Bank Director for Gender, Women, and Civil Society, announced the signatories during a networking event for women executives organized by the Finance in Common Summit Coalition on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Development Banks.

The breakfast took place on the sidelines of the third Finance in Common (https://FinanceinCommon.org/) Summit, which concluded in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire today.

The declaration, introduced at the first global summit of public development banks in November 2020, calls for accelerated action toward the realization of gender equality and empowering all women and girls through the international financial system.

Kaba said promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment made “absolute economic sense.”

“What of course is important is that this coalition fully aligns with what we do at the African Development Bank,” she said, adding that the bank had achieved 100% mainstreaming of gender in all its public operations. “Africa needs scale in action. There needs to be coordination, leveraging on our comparative advantages.” Kaba said.

Kaba outlined a few of the achievements of the gender coalition. Public development bank signatories to the gender declaration now stand at 42, up from 25; the Finance in Common Summit gender statement was amended to take new global realities into account. The coalition is also concluding a new milestone report entitled “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Public Development Banks and Development Finance Institutes:  synthesis of promising practices of public development banks and development finance institutions.”

What of course is important is that this coalition fully aligns with what we do at the African Development Bank

The report’s research has been conducted under four areas: gender-responsive green and quality infrastructure; gender-responsive climate change; UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 and a human-rights approach, and digital financial inclusion. 

The African Development Bank and the European Investment Bank co-hosted the 2022 Finance in Common Summit, alongside the Finance in Common Summit secretariat. The theme of this year’s summit was “Green and just transition for a sustainable recovery.”

The Women CEOs breakfast was organized to take stock of achievements made by the Finance in Summit Coalition on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Development Banks and to discuss progress made. It was also a dedicated networking opportunity for professionals such as women CEOs and executives of commercial banks, public development banks, private companies, members of the Finance in Common Summit Gender Coalition and others involved in promoting gender equality.

Maria Shaw-Barragan, European Investment Bank Director for Global Partners Department, moderated the session. Rémy Rioux, Chairman of Finance in Common and CEO of Agence Française de Développement was one of its participants.

Pierrette Kouakou, CEO of Fin’Elle Côte d’Ivoire shared her professional journey to provide financing for Ivorian women entrepreneurs. She deplored the obstacles standing in the way of 70% of women entrepreneurs in the informal market who she said were “not bankable, not visible, and not trackable.”  She told her audience though, that with support from the African Development Bank Group’s Affirmative Action for Women (AFAWA) (https://bit.ly/3sggisg) initiative, her company had financed 300 women-led small and medium-sized enterprises this year.

“Our vision is to create a pan-African model for financial inclusion… We have to change the way to do it for women,” Kouakou said.

Elvira Eurlings, Chief Investment Officer of ILX Management, said she had been motivated by the strides her institution has made to support women entrepreneurs. ILX Management connects institutional pension funds in the Netherlands, (so far mobilizing over 1 billion euros), with “Sustainable Development Goals investments” and investments in emerging markets.

“Investing in pension funds is a good credit decision,” Eurlings said.

Addressing the gathering by video conference, Anita Bhatia, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, urged the coalition to go even further in its support for women.

“What we need is bold action matched with ambitious finance,” she said.

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

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Liberia to Preview Next Oil & Gas Licensing Round Strategy at Houston Investor Day

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The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins

HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.

Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.

Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.

At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.

The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.

As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.

Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.

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

 

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Beyond Stabroek: Guyana’s Offshore Basin Attracts New Wave of Exploration Investment

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As ExxonMobil advances appraisal activity in Stabroek and new operators target frontier acreage, Guyana is attracting global capital and building a diversified offshore portfolio designed to sustain long-term growth

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –Guyana’s transformation into one of the world’s fastest-growing oil producers is entering a new phase, with a growing network of IOCs expanding exploration activity across the country’s offshore basin. Beyond the landmark discoveries that first put Guyana on the global energy map, new drilling campaigns and licensing partnerships are creating a broader exploration ecosystem designed to support long-term production growth.

At the center of this momentum is ExxonMobil’s continued exploration and appraisal activity in the prolific Stabroek Block. The company has submitted a proposal for a 35-well exploration and appraisal drilling campaign, expected to run from 2028 through 2033, pending regulatory approval. The program would build on more than 30 commercial discoveries already made in the block, with drilling activity focused on evaluating new prospects and appraising existing discoveries to support future development opportunities.

Exploration activity is also extending into Guyana’s frontier acreage, with ExxonMobil advancing drilling operations at the deepwater Canje Block. The company has deployed the Noble Stena Carron drillship for exploration activity, highlighting continued industry interest in evaluating Guyana’s underexplored offshore potential beyond the established Stabroek Block.

Guyana’s strong exploration outlook comes as the country’s economy continues to benefit from rapid oil sector expansion, with hydrocarbons expected to remain a key driver of exports, government revenues and economic growth. As production scales up, attracting additional investment across exploration, services and infrastructure will be critical to supporting the next phase of development.

That momentum is being reinforced through partnerships established under Guyana’s 2023 offshore licensing round. A consortium comprising TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy and Petronas is advancing exploration activities in Block S4 under a five-year production sharing agreement signed with the government in late 2025. The award represents one of the first major outcomes of the licensing round and demonstrates continued international confidence in Guyana’s offshore resource potential.

Beyond the largest operators, a diverse group of companies is also expanding activity across Guyana’s offshore basin. Eco Atlantic is advancing exploration at the Orinduik Block; CGX Energy and Frontera Energy are progressing work in the Corentyne Block; Occidental is evaluating opportunities in the Roraima Block; while Ratio Guyana and Cataleya Energy hold interests in the Kaieteur Block. Together, these partnerships are broadening Guyana’s exploration landscape, increasing competition for acreage and creating opportunities for future discoveries.

As Guyana transitions from an emerging producer to a global energy hub, the next challenge will be converting exploration success into sustainable investment, local value creation and regional growth. These opportunities will be explored at Caribbean Energy Week 2027, held under the theme “Unlocking the Caribbean Energy Corridor: Oil, Gas, LNG & Investment for a New Global Hub.” Bringing together governments, IOCs, investors and technology providers, the event will examine how Guyana’s expanding partnerships can accelerate offshore development, strengthen regional energy cooperation and attract the capital needed to support the Caribbean’s evolving energy landscape.

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

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Energy Capital & Power Establishes London Entity, Expanding Global Platform for Energy and Mining Events

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The move strengthens ECP’s presence in the UK and Europe, and its ability to connect African and South American markets with global investors

LONDON, United Kingdom, August 6, 2026/APO Group/ –International events company Energy Capital & Power (ECP) (www.EnergyCapitalPower.com) has officially established its UK entity in London, marking a milestone in the company’s growth strategy and reinforcing its ability to deliver world-class energy and mining events and campaigns in the UK and Europe.

By establishing a presence in a key hub like London – the pre-eminent energy and mining finance center – ECP actively shapes the global energy conversation. The expansion positions ECP to better serve clients, partners and investors seeking to develop business opportunities between Africa, Europe, the Americas and energy markets worldwide.

Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital

The milestone comes as ECP strengthens its reach through a series of investment platforms that connect global capital to energy and mining projects. These include the Venezuela Energy Week London Showcase on July 30 – with over 300 delegates registered – and the annual Invest in African Energy Forum, held in Paris as the premier event connecting global investors to Africa’s energy transformation.

ECP hosts high level summits and investor conferences in leading energy and minerals producing countries in Africa and South America, including: Venezuela Energy Week; Angola Oil & Gas; MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power; African Mining Week; Libya Energy & Economic Summit; Congo Energy & Investment Forum; South Sudan Oil & Power; and Caribbean Energy Week. The company has hosted investor forums and supported licensing round roadshows in Houston, London and Paris since 2016.

“Opening our UK company brings ECP closer to key investors in the global energy finance capital,” states CEO James Chester. “Having a permanent presence in London further cements our footprint in Europe, enabling us to fulfil our mission to bring minerals and energy investment to diverse global markets.”

With teams located across Africa, Europe and the Americas, ECP has long-facilitated strategic engagement, market intelligence and industry convening, uniting investors with leading energy and mining projects.

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

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