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‘Thrilla in Manila’: Women’s financial inclusion is our fight of the decade if we are to meet the Sustainable Development Goals

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Thrilla

Unlocking women’s economic power and closing the gender gap will not only help us achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5—which is focused on gender equality—it will also help accelerate progress towards many of the 16 other goals

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, October 16, 2023/APO Group/ — 

By Malado Kaba, Director of the Gender, Women and Civil Society Department at the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org).

Last month, I represented the African Development Bank’s Gender, Women and Civil Society Department at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion’s (AFI) 2023 Global Policy Forum in Manila.

Before travelling to the Forum, I had an iconic moment in sporting history on my mind – the “Thrilla in Manila:” This epic boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975 was hotly anticipated after the pair’s “Fight of the Century” in 1971.

I had it on my mind because I strongly believe that advancing women’s financial inclusion is our fight of the decade if we are going to achieve the African Development Bank’s High 5 priority to improve the quality of life for people across Africa, and the Sustainable Development Goals by the 2030 deadline.

Unlocking women’s economic power and closing the gender gap will not only help us achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5—which is focused on gender equality—it will also help accelerate progress towards many of the 16 other goals. This includes ending poverty, reducing inequalities, and providing decent work and economic growth. Studies have suggested that when we increase women’s access to credit, our financial systems become more stable due to women taking fewer risks and outperforming men on loan repayment rates.[1]

That is why we can’t work in isolation, and this is why the Bank’s participation in the Forum was so significant. The Alliance for Financial Inclusion is a global policy leadership alliance owned and led by central banks and financial regulatory institutions with the common purpose of advancing financial inclusion around the world. Gathering with this international network of policymakers was an invaluable opportunity to share the Bank’s work on financial inclusion and hear first-hand what others are doing in this space.

Great ideas transcend borders, and by working together to identify powerful solutions, we can create a ripple effect across the continent

It was hugely beneficial to engage with central bank governors and other finance-sector stakeholders across Africa to find solutions to issues facing the millions of ‘unbanked’ women across the continent—from expanding digital financial solutions to improving data collection and analysis.

I was also encouraged to hear from central bank officials about the constructive steps they are taking to be gender-responsive and to advance diversity and inclusion from the very top of their organizations. Several governors mentioned that they are implementing their own financial inclusion strategies and using data to inform decisions about how to address obstacles faced by women-led businesses.

In addition to listening and learning from these leaders about the solutions they are implementing in their countries, I was also delighted to formally launch a new phase of the Bank’s partnership with AFI (https://apo-opa.info/46U1qSH). Through our work together over the next four years, we aim to create a new model for gender-sensitive policy and regulatory reforms, which can be applied by governments across the continent to unlock the power and potential of women entrepreneurs. We believe our work with AFI will also be an impactful contribution for the stability of banking systems.

In doing so, we will closely collaborate with many of the central bank leaders I had the opportunity to meet in Manila. Several of the leaders I met with shared that AFAWA had inspired their financial institutions to double down on their own efforts to close the financing gap for women in their countries. Great ideas transcend borders, and by working together to identify powerful solutions, we can create a ripple effect across the continent.

Our new agreement with AFI acts as a foundation for bolstering these relationships and identifying new ways of working together. Just like Muhammed Ali, more than 45 years ago, let’s not hold back our punches to fight for women’s empowerment.

[1] Source: Caroline Perrin, Laurent Weill (https://apo-opa.info/3M4eHjz) (June 2022)

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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1 day ago

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October 4, 2024

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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.

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

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1 day ago

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October 4, 2024

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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.

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

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October 4, 2024

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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.

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