Connect with us

Business

ITFC Signs Six Agreements Totaling US$101 Million with Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Uzbekistan, and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Published

on

International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation

Agreements Signed on the Sidelines of the 2023 Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) Annual Meetings in Jeddah

JEDDAH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2023/APO Group/ — 

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (www.ITFC-idb.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), has signed six major agreements with Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia totaling US$101 million on the second day of the 2023 IsDB Group Annual Meetings, held in Ritz Carlton Hotel, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The agreements will address the trade financing needs of the private sector, enabling businesses to purchase needed inputs, secure raw materials, and develop global supply chains, thereby fostering stronger economic growth.

Agreements

ITFC signed a US$25 million Financing facility with Invest Finance Bank, Uzbekistan. This agreement aims to support the import and pre-export financing needs of private sector clients, particularly SMEs. 

The agreements will address the trade financing needs of the private sector, enabling businesses to purchase needed inputs, secure raw materials, and develop global supply chains

Also, ITFC renewed a US$15 million Financing facility in favor of Uzbek Industrial and Construction Bank, Uzbekistan to meet the Islamic trade finance needs of private sector clients of the bank, particularly the SMEs.

Additionally, a Partnership Agreement was signed between ITFC and Expolink under the AfTIAS 2.0 Program. This agreement paves the way for the establishment of a specialized export development capacity building and training center to benefit new and existing exporters from Africa and the Arab World. The agreement was signed by Mr. Mohamed Kassem, Chairman, Egyptian Exporters Association (Expolink), Mrs. Mary Kamel, Executive Director, Foreign Trade Training Center (FTTC), and Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO of ITFC.

A EUR 20 million Murabaha Financing facility was signed between ITFC and Bridge Bank Group Cote d’Ivoire (BBGCI) targeting the trade finance needs of private sector clients of the bank, with a particular focus on essential commodities such as petroleum products and staple food imports. This financing is implemented under the US$250 million Framework Agreement between ITFC and Cote d’Ivoire.

Furthermore, ITFC extended a EUR40 million Letter of Credit (LC) Confirmation Facility to the Bank of Africa, Cote d’Ivoire to meet the un-funded trade financing needs of private sector clients of the bank. It is worth noting that Bank of Africa Cote d’Ivoire is a new partner bank of ITFC in Cote d’Ivoire.

An Agreement was signed between ITFC and Saudi EximBank within the framework of the KSA SMEs Export Empowerment Program for collaboration to enhance the competitiveness of Saudi small and medium companies and institutions in penetrating international marketsThis is done by providing lines of financing for international financial institutions in countries that import goods from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The aim of these lines is to provide financing to importers who import goods from Saudi exporters to SMEs. This financing option will allow exporters to grant longer credit terms and thus increase the exports of Saudi SMEs to their existing customers and entice new importers of Saudi commodities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

Business

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

Published

on

Sinclair

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.

Continue Reading

Business

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

Published

on

PAPSS

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.

Continue Reading

Business

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

Published

on

Sonangol

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.

Continue Reading

Trending