29th Conference of the Parties (COP29): The EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce to host a panel discussion on Access to Finance & Sustainability at the Côte d’Ivoire Pavilion on 14th November at 3:30pm – Africa.com
EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce (EUACC) (https://EU-Africa-Chamber.org/) is pleased to announce that a panel discussion entitled “Access to Finance and Sustainable Development: A Call to Action for Resilient Growth in Africa” will be held at COP 29 in Baku and held at the Côte d’Ivoire Pavilion in the presence of HEM Jaqcues Konan Assahore, Minister of Environment of Côte d’Ivoire .
An EU-Africa Chamber panel discussion during COP 29 will bring together experts, investors and policymakers to address financing challenges and sustainability priorities, with a focus on the African maritime sector.
The discussion builds on the ten-point call to action developed during a meeting hosted by EUACC in Abidjan in October 2024.
“The EU-Africa Chamber’s commitment is clear: to contribute to solving the critical challenge of access to finance. This barrier hinders the development of infrastructure, innovation and even sustainable practices in Africa’s maritime sector. The focus on financial access and sustainability is directly aligned with our EUACC 2021-2028 strategy: which prioritizes market access, innovation, impact, sustainability and financing for both the private and public sectors. We firmly believe that these pillars are critical to paving the way for an inclusive and sustainable ocean economy” said Sonia Toro, Executive Director of the EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce.
With an urgent need to promote green technologies and address financing barriers, EUACC is committed to driving change by emphasizing the role of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. The Baku group will explore pathways for sustainable growth in maritime Africa with the participation of leaders from the banking, public policy and sustainable development sectors.
During the discussions in Baku, the EU-Africa Chamber will also promote the EUACC online project platform, which aims to support and promote financing in various sectors, including the African maritime sector. The platform aims to serve the industry by using digital tools to aggregate and promote bankable investment projects to financiers and private investors. Through comprehensive project restructuring services, projects are reviewed by experts to confirm their bankability and ensure compliance with investor/financier requirements, thus enhancing their attractiveness.
“The platform aims to be a stimulator for financial innovation, providing a support framework for projects to attract the necessary funding. It will also address a core question: how do we talk about sustainability when the African maritime sector is still searching for basic resources?” added Sonia Toro.
key themes to be discussed :
- Overcoming financing challenges: Innovative solutions such as green bonds, hybrid finance and ESG-compliant investment vehicles.
- Integrating ESG standards: Best practices for integrating ESG into financing, and insights from some organizations.
- regulatory coordination: Emphasis on harmonized regulations across Africa to support industry-wide transformation.
- public-private partnership: Leveraging PPPs as a resilient foundation for maritime infrastructure development in Africa.
Expected results:
- Enhance awareness of sustainable growth and resilience in the African maritime sector.
- A strategic partnership that balances economic growth with industry decarbonization.
- Expand financing channels for green maritime projects.
- Stakeholders are firmly committed to implementing the ten-point call to action to achieve a sustainable transformation of Africa’s maritime industry.
Attend EUACC on November 14, 3:30 – 5:00 pm at the Côte d’Ivoire Pavilion in Baku We advocate for a sustainable and prosperous future for Africa’s maritime sector.
EUACC activities are supported by the following partners: Nilos As one of EUACC’s partners focusing on innovative and comprehensive cross-border payment solutions, GSMA as a strategic partner, and APO Group Serve as media partner.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the EU-Africa Chamber of Commerce (EUACC).
More information and registration:
https://apo-opa.co/40KZGv0
Inquiries and questions:
ENG: Nele Lahrmann-Muniru (EUACC)
WhatsApp: +49 176 53453367
FR: Serge Ouattara (EUACC)
WhatsApp: +225 07 04 908 161
