Head-to-Head | Debt-for-nature swaps: Climate solution or financial illusion?
As Africa’s external debt continues to escalate, now reaching $1.3 trillion, debt-for-nature swaps are proliferating across the continent with dual aims: advancing climate action and reducing debt burdens. Proponents view these mechanisms as an innovative way to free up fiscal space while financing conservation projects. But critics argue their impact is marginal: 36 swaps to date have […]
Keynote | BRICS, Eastern influence, de-dollarisation and tariffs – the macro trends and how to outplay them
As the BRICS are set to launch a guarantee fund to attract private capital to emerging markets, a new geoeconomic balance is taking shape. De-dollarization, the rise of protectionist policies, and the strengthening of South-South mechanisms are all signals of a gradual shift in global financial power. This keynote dissects the major macroeconomic trends at […]
Wave – Side Event | Seamless Compliance: Unlocking Pan-African Growth Through Smarter Regulation
Africa’s digital finance revolution is accelerating. Yet, with 57% of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population remaining unbanked, fragmented regulations, inconsistent compliance standards, and limited eKYC infrastructure cost fintechs millions of dollars in duplicated efforts each year, threatening the promise of a truly integrated financial ecosystem. Building a harmonized framework for digital identity, oversight, and innovation is now […]
Strategic Roundtable | Sovereign Funds, the Diaspora, and VC: Forging new capital alliances for African growth
Access via sign-up on the event app or by invitation only. English-French translation available. The combined strength of Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), diaspora investors, and venture capital can build a connected ecosystem that channels investment, expertise, and infrastructure into Africa’s financial and digital markets. Morocco, for example, now ranks ahead of Luxembourg, Qatar, and Argentina […]
Strategic Roundtable | Digital roots, financial growth: Leveraging tech to transform agrifinance in Africa
Access via sign-up on the event app or by invitation only. English-French translation available. Technology offers the opportunity to transform the fundamentals of agriculture in Africa. From drone-based farming support to tech-driven supply chain finance platforms, innovative business models promise to significantly enhance the productivity, competitiveness, and climate resilience of African food production. How can […]
Test session for website
Attach Speaker (delete later)
Women In Finance Panel | Aid’s vanishing act: The next play for women-led SME & fintech funding
A looming $31bn drop in global aid this year threatens to put pressure on credit and support systems for women-led SMEs and fintechs. Only around 2% of African startup funding (~$10m) went to female founders in Q1 this year amid a $49bn financing gap for Africa’s women-led businesses. Despite scarce funding, some women-founded businesses are […]
Side-event | Proparco: Catalysing domestic resource mobilisation through guarantees: Lessons from the EURIZ & MENA models
As access to finance remains one of the most persistent barriers to SME growth across Africa and the MENA region, guarantee mechanisms are increasingly recognised as effective instruments to unlock local capital and drive inclusive economic development. A compelling illustration of this potential is the EU-supported EURIZ programme, managed by Proparco, already achieving tangible results: […]
Panel | From start-up to scale-up: Financing SMEs for jobs growth in Africa
SMEs employ 80 percent of the African workforce, and nine out of ten new jobs on the continent are created by growing companies. How can African financial sector stakeholders become better at supporting the continental jobs agenda by increasing support for growing small and medium-sized companies, especially those run by women and youth entrepreneurs? What […]