Africa received $40 billion in foreign direct investment in 2020, a 16% decline from the previous year.

Africa's FDI inflows were expected to grow 5% in 2021, driven by investments from countries like China, India, and the UK.

Egypt is a leading FDI recipient in Africa, receiving $5.1 billion in 2021 and expecting $16.5 billion by 2025.

The UK and US are major investors in Africa, with $65 billion and $50 billion in FDI, respectively.

Africa's energy and construction sectors saw significant investments in 2022, totaling $120 billion and $24 billion, respectively.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) promotes economic integration and job creation, with countries like Morocco benefiting, having received 2 billion euros in net foreign direct investment in 2022.

Africa still faces challenges, including poor infrastructure, governance, and corruption, which hinder investment and economic growth.

Governments and international organizations are improving the investment climate through special economic zones and policies to attract foreign investment.

Increased investment in infrastructure, such as energy and transportation, is needed to support economic growth.

Foreign investment can promote economic growth in Africa, but addressing the continent's challenges is crucial to ensure sustainable and beneficial investments.

Most foreign investment in Africa targets the energy and extractive industries, with Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa being top recipients.

The African Development Bank promotes investment in Africa, including through the Africa50 Infrastructure Acceleration Fund.

Foreign investment should align with the SDGs, promoting sustainable development, reducing poverty, and addressing climate change.

The private sector has a critical role in promoting sustainable development, requiring governments and international organizations to create an enabling environment.

Africa received $40 billion in foreign direct investment in 2020, a 16% decline from the previous year.

Title:

Content: Global investors waiting to pour in money in Africa to firewall China

By IANS | Published: August 2, 2021 02:09 PM2021-08-02T14:09:05+5:302021-08-02T14:25:34+5:30

New Delhi, Aug 2: After a tepid inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) into Africa in 2020 amid the ...

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New Delhi, Aug 2: After a tepid inflow of foreign direct investments (FDI) into Africa in 2020 amid the Covid-19, investors are once again warming up to the continent. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), FDI flows into Africa declined by 16 per cent in 2020 to $40 billion, from $47 billion in 2019.

China, the primary investor in the continent, has also slowed down its investments into the continent leaving an opportunity for other investors.

While the UNCTAD projected FDI inflow into Africa to grow this year, it said that the slow vaccine roll-out programme is a cause for concern. According to UNCTAD, FDI to the continent is projected to grow by only 5 per cent in 2021. But analysts said Africa as an investment destination has led to "an unprecedented curiosity" among other countries, which are now aggressively looking to mute China's dominance in the continent.

"Africa is critical in the new geopolitical and geo-economic contours. The continent, with its vast natural resources, offers a ready growth platform," an analyst told India Narrative.

According to a study published by Brookings Institution last week, Africa is home to 17 per cent of the world population. However, by 2050, it will have 26 per cent of the global population 2.53 billion people. "If Africa is not successfully integrated into the global economy, there could be a major threat to global prosperity and stability," the study said, adding that by 2050, the continent will be home to an estimated $16.12 trillion of combined consumer and business spending.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) – the mega trade could give a push to intra-continental investment.

Touted as one of the biggest trade deals in the world, the AfCTA aims to create a single market comprising 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of about $3.4 trillion.

Meanwhile, the US may have woken up late in recognising the potential of Africa but is making all attempts to make up for the lost time.

The Group of Seven or G7 has already decided to support US President Joe Biden's proposal of carving out a mega infrastructure plan under the "Build Back Better World" (B3W) initiative, expected to bring in transparency and sustainability. Besides, the initiative will be carried out only in consultation with local communities.

The G7 in its meeting in June also announced that it will increase its support to the Indo Pacific and Africa. "We resolve to collaborate with partners around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific and Africa, to actively promote these shared values for the good of all," said the statement.

India too has pressed the pedal on investments in the region. Sources said that the still-born Asia Africa Growth Corridor—the mega infrastructure project that was launched in 2017 to connect Asia and Africa must be revived.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted that Chinese financiers committed $153 billion to African public sector borrowers between 2000 and 2019. "After rapid growth in the 2000s, annual lending commitments to Africa peaked in 2013, the year the BRI was launched. By 2019, though, new Chinese loan commitments amounted to only $7 billion to the continent, down 30 percent from $9.9 billion in 2018," it said.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

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Africa's FDI inflows were expected to grow 5% in 2021, driven by investments from countries like China, India, and the UK.

Egypt is a leading FDI recipient in Africa, receiving $5.1 billion in 2021 and expecting $16.5 billion by 2025.

Title:

Content: Tuesday 27 February 2024
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
Abdurrahim Ali
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editorial Board
Abdurrahim Ali
Portal of Parliament
Parliamentary: Egypt has become the most important investment destination in Africa and the Arab world
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MP Ibrahim El-Deeb, a member of the House of Representatives, said that Egypt is one of the most important investment destinations in the African continent and Arab countries, especially after following various ways that would attract foreign investment and employ it in vital sectors in favor of economic growth, and the recent period is the best evidence of this.
El-Deeb pointed out that Egypt ranked first in North Africa in attracting foreign direct investment according to the United Nations Trade and Development Report 2020, where it succeeded alone in acquiring 15% of the total investments flowing to the continent of Africa according to a report issued by the United Nations for Trade and Development on global investment in 2021.
"The International Monetary Fund has already announced that foreign direct investments will register continuous growth in Egypt, where it is expected to reach 16.5 billion dollars in the fiscal year 2025 – 2024, and what has been achieved on the ground during the last few hours confirms that Egypt is on the right track in the file of direct investment."
He pointed out that foreign direct investment (FDI) is one of the main engines of economic growth in the countries and contributes to the expansion of the investor base in the country, as well as to solve the problem of unemployment through the creation of new jobs and the introduction of new advanced technology for the state, and to learn about modern methods of management, organization and marketing, which leads to the acquisition of national workers. and more experience.

Which African countries are driving the venture capital ecosystem?

The UK and US are major investors in Africa, with $65 billion and $50 billion in FDI, respectively.

Title:

Content: Monday 21 February 2022
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Editor-in-Chief
Wael Lotfy
« Investment in Africa » seminar: US investments worth $50 billion in 2019
Participants in a roundtable on "Investing in Africa" confirmed the support of the administration of US President Joe Biden, pointing out that in 2019, the US administration concluded 107 deals in the field of energy, 75 agricultural businesses, 54 deals in health care, and 43 deals in information and communications technology across Africa with a total value of $50 billion.
This came during the virtual round table on investment in Africa, on Monday, which included the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Akuna Cook, Vice President for Foreign Affairs of the Development Finance Corporation Aljane Sajri, and the Minister of Investment and Private Sector Development of Côte d'Ivoire Emmanuel Aces.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Akuna Cook said President Biden has made investing in Africa a priority in their interest in investing around the world, adding: “We have made reducing the perceived and actual risks of doing business in Africa a top priority to support the investment needed for economic growth on the continent. ”
The senior director of the African Investment Forum of the African Development Bank, Chinilo Anoho, praised the efforts of the administration of US President Joe Biden to direct investment to Africa, singling out Prosper Africa as a sign of deepening commitment to Africa.
For his part, the Minister of Investment and Private Sector Development of Cote d'Ivoire, Emmanuel Aces, reviewed Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara ’ s policies to attract investment in strategic sectors such as infrastructure, health, information and communications technology, as well as the country ’ s Vision 2030.
The roundtable was sponsored by Prosper Africa, with the aim of offering U.S. investors the opportunity to learn more about the investment and trade instruments offered by the U.S. government.
Launched in 2019, Prosper Africa, through 17 U.S. agencies, provides U.S. companies and investors with market insights, transaction support, financing and solutions to enhance the business climate.
The Africa Investment Forum was launched in 2018 by eight founding partners: the African Development Bank, the Africa 50 Initiative, the Africa Finance Corporation, the African Export-Import Bank, the Southern African Development Bank, the Trade and Development Bank, the European Investment Bank and the Islamic Development Bank.
The Africa Investment Forum works to channel investment into transformative projects in Africa.
In November 2019, the Forum signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to support high-quality infrastructure solutions in sub-Saharan Africa.

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Which European countries lead investment in Africa?

Which countries are actively investing in Africa besides China?

Africa's energy and construction sectors saw significant investments in 2022, totaling $120 billion and $24 billion, respectively.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
It has reached $11 billion.
UN highlights doubling of foreign direct investment in Egypt
The United Nations Trade and Development Board (UNCTAD) said in its annual report on foreign direct investment flows for the year 2022, on Wednesday in Geneva, that Egypt witnessed an increase in foreign direct investment more than doubled to $11 billion as a result of increased cross-border M & A sales.
Investment flows to Africa fell to $45 billion in 2022 from a record $80 billion in 2021 and accounted for 3.5 percent of global foreign direct investment, the report said, adding that international project financing deals targeting Africa showed a 47 percent drop in value.
The report pointed out that the number of announcements of new projects increased by 39% to 766, and that six of the 15 largest new investment mega projects (those worth more than $10 billion) announced in 2022 were in Africa, stressing that Egypt witnessed an increase in foreign direct investment more than doubled to $11 billion as a result of increased cross-border M & A sales.
The number of new projects has more than doubled to 161, and the value of international project financing transactions has increased by two-thirds to $24 billion.
FDI inflows have risen over the past five years in four of the continent ’ s regional economic groupings, with FDI in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) growing by 14% to $22 billion, and inflows also rising in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) (quadrupled to $10 billion) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WEMU) (doubled to $5.2 billion). East African Community (up 9% to $3.8 billion).
According to the report, the largest increase in 2022 was in new field projects announced in energy and gas supply (to $120 billion from $24 billion in 2021), and the value of projects in construction and extractive industries rose to $24 billion and $21 billion, respectively, while the information and communication sector recorded the largest number of projects.
European investors remain by far the largest owners of FDI in Africa, led by the United Kingdom ($60 billion), France ($54 billion) and the Netherlands ($54 billion).

What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) promotes economic integration and job creation, with countries like Morocco benefiting, having received 2 billion euros in net foreign direct investment in 2022.

Title:

Content: Morocco is a platform for growth in Africa for thousands of global businesses
Heba Press _ Rabat
The President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Chakib Laalj, said on Monday in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, that Morocco is a platform for growth in Africa for thousands of international companies.
Speaking at an investment session in Morocco organized as part of the Africa CEO Forum Summit held in Abidjan on June 5-6, he said the net inflow of foreign direct investment amounted to 2 billion euros in 2022, an increase of 8.3 per cent compared to 2021.
He stressed that an important part of these investments has enabled the promotion of the creation of systems in sectors such as aviation, automotive, food industry, renewable energies as well as modern technology.
He added that the gains achieved by Morocco as a destination for investment and the great progress achieved by the Kingdom, especially at the macroeconomic level and with regard to the business climate, infrastructure and openness to other markets, are clear and need no proof.
“Our ambition as a Moroccan private sector is also to create complementary African value chains and systems with our partners in the continent to respond to food, logistics and climate challenges and promote continental economic integration, especially with the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area. ”
Recalling the Royal Project on the Investment Charter, Mr. Laalaj explained that this new charter provides exceptional incentives for entrepreneurs, which can reach up to 30 per cent of capital expenditure, with the aim of reversing the trend and reaching one third of state investment and two thirds of the private sector.
He said it was “an awareness and a real change of mindset ”, highlighting the growing place that innovation, research and development now occupy in the Moroccan economy.
On the other hand, the President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises stressed that the Kingdom, as a leader in renewable energies, is currently moving towards decarbonization of its economy, especially as its qualifications and resources in the field of green energies allow it to do so.
He stressed that the companies are fully aware of the need for the green transition as they have been involved in this series, which is a good opportunity to enhance their competitiveness and presence in the global and European markets in particular.
He also explained that the Kingdom has many industrial areas linked to logistics platforms and operating basins where there are integrated production systems, while others are being developed.
He also pointed to another key topic, namely human capital, stressing that the quality and competitiveness of Moroccan human resources need no proof.
In order to accelerate the growth of the sectors and ensure a match between supply and demand in the field of training, Morocco has training institutes with delegated management supervised by the sector professionals themselves.
The 2023 edition of the YAfrica CEO Forum will be held on the theme “Achieving Success Despite Crises.
300 to 3000: How to accelerate the emergence of a generation of African heroes.
This important annual event for the private sector in Africa, with the participation of more than 1,800 entrepreneurs and public sector decision makers from Africa and the world, aims to raise the challenge of turning crises into opportunities quickly and sustainably.
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What trends are emerging for African startups in 2022?

Africa still faces challenges, including poor infrastructure, governance, and corruption, which hinder investment and economic growth.

Governments and international organizations are improving the investment climate through special economic zones and policies to attract foreign investment.

Title:

Content: Free zones may be Africa’s best chance to accelerate wealth creation

By Sylvia Brune

Co-founder of AHOY – a flight booking and concierge app – Sylvia Brune discusses why free zones may be Africa’s best chance to accelerate wealth.

Given the demand for goods and services from Africa’s growing middle classes, the continent has huge potential for growth. Over the past year, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Africa grew by 11%, bucking the global trend and potentially setting a bright precedent for the future.

Whether this upwards trend in FDI will have a positive effect on growth and wealth creation is, however, still unknown. Studies have shown that capital has little impact on an undeveloped foundation. Key components needed to enhance capital’s productivity are infrastructure (not just physical), a stable and transparent legal framework, and skilled labour.

Where these are lacking, investors into the continent have to first ‘build’ the commercial foundation, before commencing their projects. Like spending money on hiring advisors, lawyers, and accountants to navigate the various countries’ economic environments, political systems, and bureaucracy. This adds time and uncertainty to projects, acting as an effective ‘tax’ on any return on investment - meaning only projects with a very high upside will be embarked upon.

Evidence suggests that these key components are indeed lacking across most of Africa, albeit with a small handful of countries on the road to improvement.

Countries, like Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, have made important strides to improve anti-corruption institutions. Cabo Verde and Gambia have managed to gain local trust with 85% and 84% believing their government is fundamentally sound. And Mauritius and Rwanda have made it into the top 35 countries in the world as measured by economic and personal freedom, with Mauritius marginally beating Norway in the global ranking.

The reality is, however, that corruption continues to undermine the rule of law across most of Africa (which hosts 13 of the globe’s 20 most corrupt countries). Rule of law relates to strong property rights, government integrity, and judicial effectiveness - the basis for a sound investment environment. What is even worse than corruption’s effect on FDI, though, is its effect on retaining and developing talent.

Instability and lack of opportunity continues to result in brain-drain - drawing talent and skill away from the continent. The World Bank estimates one-in-nine Africans with a tertiary education live away from Africa – a 50% growth since the mid-00s.

So, what’s the solution?

Given the long, tough road ahead towards building economically sound environments across Africa, I believe the only solution in the short run, is establishing 100s of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) throughout the continent.

For those unfamiliar with SEZs, they are areas which operate under a different legal framework to the country they inhabit – with investment-friendly laws around commercial transactions, taxes, and the protection of private property. SEZs’ advantage is that you avoid building on top of broken legacy system, instead creating a pre-packaged, investor-ready climate.

These zones have been successfully tested and run in China and the Four Tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan) to attract considerable FDI, and experience decades of double-digit growth. This format could likewise be used to boost and sustain investor interest in Africa.

SEE ALSO:

SEZs as talent hubs

While SEZs are known mostly as attractive investment environments, with conducive infrastructure and legal frameworks, the secret to their success rate is actually in their ability to attract and retain talent and skilled labour in specialised hubs.

China showed just how powerful an industry focus within SEZs can be. Because they provide a magnetic effect of highly specialised knowledge hubs - comprised of domestic, regional, and international talent.

Capital is like fuel, it’s only effective where there is a flame to throw it on. And that flame is talent.

The potential is clear, and I believe Africa has a burgeoning pool of talent waiting to be tapped into. But whether they are able to put their talents to best use, collaborate, and innovate freely is uncertain, and will determine whether they stay, or search for opportunities elsewhere.

A common hurdle, for example, is work visa rules between African countries, which means it’s easier for talent to find good opportunities outside Africa than within Africa. Talented individuals want to work alongside other talent. Similarly, talent and specialists from outside Africa face considerable barriers when trying to obtain work permits.

For example, Mr. Eazi’s emPawa Masterclass, like many creative undertakings, is dependent on bringing together the best talent. Earlier this year, emPawa struggled to bring artists, producers, and mentors together from across Africa. Due to visa rules and uncertain processing times, some were only provided with visas after the masterclass was already over, some not at all.

Here, again, SEZs are a solution. SEZs are able to receive visa allocations relating to their area of specialisation, which increases the likelihood of collaboration and innovation - which in turn attracts capital.

The Andela example

There’s plenty of evidence that talent wants to stay, provided there are the right conditions to do so. A great example is tech recruitment platform Andela, which proves that when start-ups in Africa have access to the best talent, including a global support network, and then tap into local opportunity, they can raise substantial foreign capital, and the local business community benefits as well.

Andela trains candidates for six months before pairing them with clients, many are the Fortune 500 and a number of Silicon Valley start-ups. So far, more than 90% of Andela’s first batch of alumni are still working in Nigeria.

SEZs would be able to turbocharge the work of companies like Andela. After talent has been developed, they need environments where they can make most use of their skills.

Already, countries like Mauritius, Senegal, and Rwanda have and are in the process of creating SEZs, with the view to building infrastructure, a stable legal framework, and enticing skilled labour – it’s an exciting time and I for one, am eager to see the results as more African countries follow their footsteps.

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Increased investment in infrastructure, such as energy and transportation, is needed to support economic growth.

Title:

Content: First Bank: Lending support for nation’s infrastructure development

First Bank of Nigeria Limited is at the frontline in developing products that support power and infrastructure sector in the country. AMAKA IFEAKANDU looks at the bank’s efforts at supporting power/infrastructure sectors through products development.

Across the world, infrastructure development is a critical enabler for productivity and sustainable economic growth. It contributes significantly to human development, poverty reduction, and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

A recent report showed that Investment in infrastructure accounts for over half of the recent improvement in economic growth in Africa and has the potential to achieve even more.

For Africa, the need for adequate infrastructure – secure energy, efficient transport, reliable communication systems, resilient sanitation, and affordable housing—is particularly apparent and obvious.

Without doubt, the vast infrastructure deficit in a country is a constraint on its growth, but also an opportunity to leapfrog to new, more efficient technologies.

So, as a country becomes more urbanised, public goods become easier and cheaper to deliver to a more geographically concentrated population.

Government initiatives for infrastructure development

In Nigeria, there have been many initiatives to drive infrastructure development, with varying levels of success. The latest initiative by the federal government is the establishment of the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp), which aims to raise $36.7 billion for projects and will be driven by some of the country’s top institutions.

InfraCo’rp, established with seed capital of N1trillion (about $2.6 billion) and was promoted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Agency (NSIA) and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), a multilateral financial institution.

InfraCorp mandate, is to finance public asset development, rehabilitate old assets and construct new ones. The Central Bank of Nigeria has signed a term sheet with InfraCorp and four independent asset managers to develop the country’s infrastructure.

The four independent infrastructure asset managers are Sanlam InfraWorks; Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM); AAA Consortium; and Chapel Hill Denham.

The government target is not only focusing on new infrastructure but on the rehabilitation of existing assets and the completion of longstanding projects that have failed to gain traction under previous governments, including the infamous 3,050 MW Mambilla hydropower project, stalled for more than 40 years despite significant budgetary allocations for it over decades, the 11.9km second Niger Bridge – now scheduled to be completed in 2022 – and the 130km Lagos to Ibadan Expressway.

Another major initiative was the Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), launched in 2020 to invest specifically in road and power projects.

Infrastructure in an economy

A country having good quality infrastructure is necessary not only for faster economic growth but also to ensure inclusive growth.

The inclusive growth will lead to the alleviation of poverty and reduction in income inequality in the country.

The availability of good quality infrastructure raises productivity levels in the economy and brings down costs of the enterprises. Besides, adequate infrastructure helps to expand trade not only within a country by improving transport facilities but also promote foreign trade through improvement of ports and airports. It also helps to diversify production by the firms as they are able to get the required supplies of raw materials and other inputs from the places where these are available in abundance.

However, with improved infrastructure the firms can produce goods in accordance with the demands of the people of different regions and countries.

Also, the expansion in infrastructure facilities such as irrigation, rural electrification, roads and road transport will promote agricultural growth and setting up of agro-processing industries. These general infrastructure facilities will help farmers and owners of processing industries to get their requirements of raw materials, fertilisers and other inputs at cheap rate and also help them to bring their products to the markets which are located in big towns and cities.

For poor farmers, improved infrastructure will reduce their input cost and increase agricultural production and reduce traders’ monopoly by improving their access to markets. It is a known fact that majority of farmers today are cut off from national and international markets, because of poor infrastructure and lack of access to market.

Better transport means greater access to public resources including schools, hospitals and other health facilities”. therefore having adequate infrastructure facilities will ensure sustained growth of employment in agriculture and small-scale rural industries and bring prosperity in the rural areas and in this way ensure inclusive growth. This will also help to prevent the mass exodus of the rural people to urban areas where they cause problems of urban congestion, growth of slums and acute housing shortage.

First Bank’s support

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial services provider, is one of the nation’s financial institutions with the muscle to support the Power and Infrastructure sector in the country. The bank achieved this through a variety of products and solutions tailored towards meeting the respective needs of project promoters. Some of the products developed by the bank to support the sector include; Corporate or On-Balance Sheet Finance, Project finance, senior debt, subordinated and/or mezzanine debt, bridging finance, financial advisory services, working capital support, acquisition Finance, structured Trade and commodity finance, Bonds and Guarantees, Intervention Funds Financing as well as import and export finance.

Unlocking Power and Infrastructure Sector

Listing its products for financing, FirstBank said unlocking the Power and Infrastructure sector remains a key driver to economic growth in Nigeria, and supporting this sector remains one of its major focus and contributions as a business and reliable financial institution in Nigeria.

The bank is supporting both the private and public sectors in creating new and expanding existing infrastructure and understanding that advising them on project development, innovative investment options and debt solutions, will ultimately help deliver quality output.

As a subsidiary of the FBNHoldings, the bank has built a long history of reputation and expertise in working with project sponsors in developing new financing and investment strategies to optimise the viability while maximising returns for new projects. The Advisory team of the group has continued to collaborate with private and institutional investors in reviewing their respective capital plans, turning public and private strategies into defined projects, and helping to guide projects from concept to early stage feasibility work, while delivering on commercial structuring and financial modelling.

The group remains the reference institution in its capacity and capabilities to help project sponsors and investors to structure, negotiate and execute complex infrastructure investment transactions by developing market mechanisms to generate competition for investments and ensuring that competitive tension is present in the negotiation and structuring of all projects receiving its support. The bank also provides support to the key sub-sectors in the transport industry – public transportation, roads & toll roads, rail & light rail transit, seaport and airport development, pipeline construction and water utilities among others.

Key focus sectors

And in doing this noble work of helping to facilitate the development of the nation’s comatose infrastructure, the bank is mindful of the planet and the need to pursue an eco-friendly and sustainable approach in its decision-making process in line with global best practices and sustainable environmental and social business practices, especially, towards infrastructure development and Power/Energy management.

In the supporting infrastructure development, the bank has special interest in some sectors, especially in Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution, Smart metering schemes.

Other areas of interest are renewable Energy, Transport, Gas Transport, Storage and Supply, Construction, Infrastructure Components & Equipment Mining, Water & Waste Management Services.

Structuring &arranging solutions

Also, the bank is of the view that industry experience is needed to creatively develop structured financial solution to deliver on complex projects. As a member of First Bank Holdings, First Bank has excellent access to debt and equity capitals through local and international financial markets to drive projects through completion and beyond.

The bank has over 124 years of proven ability to tailor financial products to meet individual stakeholders’ need and project requirements with ability to structure, underwrite and hold significant debt positions sets the bank apart and can help to enhance it’s customers’ competitiveness and exploit growth opportunities.

Apart from having long term advisory support for critical infrastructure projects, it has unrestricted access to senior secured corporate loans and mezzanine debt to public-private partnerships and project financing while access to pool of experienced professional staff to guide clients in structuring market acceptable and bankable projects.

With the level of support offered by FirstBank in the development of the nation’s moribund infrastructure, it is hoped that similar organisations will come up to and render similar support to bail the nation out of its present moribund infrastructure.

Foreign investment can promote economic growth in Africa, but addressing the continent's challenges is crucial to ensure sustainable and beneficial investments.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
Mohamad Elbaz
How does the public sector succeed in the development of factories and companies?
Ambassador Jamal Bayoumi, Secretary General of the Arab Investors Union, said that the opening of new factories in the public business sector is an important event that can carry with it significant positive effects on the economy and this type of investment is a strong catalyst to promote economic growth, create jobs and promote sustainable development.
He added in special statements to Al-Dostour that the opening of new factories means increasing the demand for the local workforce, which leads to the creation of new job opportunities for the local population and this contributes to reducing unemployment rates and improving the standard of living of the community.
He stressed that the opening of factories reflects the confidence of investors in the local economy and promotes investment in the public sector, which contributes to increasing GDP and improving general economic conditions.
He pointed out that the opening of new public sector factories promotes innovation and the adoption of technology in production processes.
These factories can contribute to the transfer and development of technology in the region, enhancing competitiveness and promoting the development of local industries.
He explained that the new factories can contribute to enhancing communication and interaction between members of the local community, and enhance the spirit of the community and local belonging.
These initiatives can also support corporate social responsibility projects and strengthen relationships between the private sector and society.
He stressed that the opening of new factories may require improvement in local infrastructure such as roads, transport networks and logistics, explaining that this development can contribute to improving the business environment and enhance the sustainability of industrial projects.
He pointed out that the opening of new public-sector factories can have significant positive effects on economic growth, sustainable development and the quality of life of the local community, and it is essential that governments and investors adopt strategies that promote these investments and bring economic and social benefits to all.

Most foreign investment in Africa targets the energy and extractive industries, with Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa being top recipients.

The African Development Bank promotes investment in Africa, including through the Africa50 Infrastructure Acceleration Fund.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
African Development Bank to deploy $20 million in infrastructure
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced its intention to deploy $20 million to the infrastructure sector on the African continent as part of the Africa50 Infrastructure Acceleration Fund.
The Director of the Industrial and Commercial Development Department of the African Development Bank, Abdo Mokhtar, said that the Bank ’ s investment in the Fund confirms that the Bank gives priority to investment in strategic infrastructure sectors that contribute to filling the infrastructure financing gap in Africa estimated at more than $100 billion annually.
He stressed that the African Development Bank and partners in the new fund will continue to provide growth capital and infrastructure capital to support the urgent need to accelerate private sector financing in order to close the infrastructure financing gap in Africa.
Alain Ebbisi, CEO of Africa50, said: “We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the African Development Bank and other investors to contribute to improving the continent ’ s infrastructure landscape. ”

Foreign investment should align with the SDGs, promoting sustainable development, reducing poverty, and addressing climate change.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
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UN calls on Africa to work on strategies that invest in people
António Pedro, Acting Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, called on African countries affected by multiple crises to implement and invest in people-centred strategies to mobilize financial resources and accelerate the recovery of the continental economy.
Speaking at the 55th Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which concludes today in Addis Ababa, Pedro pointed out that Africa is at the heart of the global transition towards sustainable development, through programs such as reducing carbon emissions in production systems, providing electrical infrastructure for transportation and accelerating the use of renewable energy, to support Africa ’ s recovery from many crises.
Pedro stressed the need to adopt measures that will reduce economic and social marginalization, reduce economic inequality, achieve faster, inclusive and more resilient growth and accelerate poverty reduction in Africa, stressing that Africa needs a people-centered development model that includes reducing poverty and inequality and integrating it into national and regional development strategies.
He added that the continent needs to strengthen the macroeconomic foundations and access to appropriate financing in order to promote structural transformation, and called for reducing the risks of investment in the continent for domestic and foreign investors alike, calling for increased projects financed by banks that are able to achieve the largest possible return on the social and economic level.
He pointed out that the AfCFTA represents an opportunity to bridge the gap in terms of marginalization and injustice and accelerate recovery and transformation in Africa, noting that increasing financing for long-term development requires multiple visions, including increasing domestic and regional financial markets, and engaging in a carbon credit market that can provide Africa with $82 billion that can drive sustainable industrialization and economic diversification.
For his part, the Ugandan Minister of State for Finance and Development and Head of the Bureau of the 55th session, Henry Musasizi, said that African countries must implement reform policies to address the injustice and poverty that have become worse as a result of the many crises that have affected Africa, especially that we have less than eight years to implement the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

The private sector has a critical role in promoting sustainable development, requiring governments and international organizations to create an enabling environment.

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Minister of Finance meets with representatives of the World Bank on the sidelines of the meeting of African finance ministers
ECONOMY
Minister of Finance: We look forward to the support of international development partners for the African vision on finance and climate issues
Strengthening development cooperation with the World Bank to finance projects with social dimensions
Maximizing the participation of the private sector in green projects and attracting more local and foreign investments
The economic challenges faced by developing and African countries as a result of the war in Europe must be taken into account.
Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait said that we look forward to the support of international development partners for the proposals we present during the meetings of the Finance Day, the IMF and the World Bank, representing the African vision on finance and climate issues, in a way that contributes to creating constructive partnerships that make emerging economies more resilient to shocks resulting from climate change, and more capable of green transformation. These preparatory meetings ensure the achievement of continental and global targets, in a way that helps reduce harmful emissions and rely on clean energy; in order to maximize comprehensive and sustainable development efforts, while giving priority to programs to achieve food security.
In his meeting with representatives of the World Bank, on the sidelines of his participation in the “Egypt Forum for International Cooperation and Development Finance ” and the meeting of African Ministers of Finance, Economy and Environment in the New Administrative Capital, the minister added that we are keen to strengthen development cooperation with the World Bank to finance projects of social dimensions. These include the high cost of financing, the prices of commodities and petroleum products, and other difficulties, repercussions and negative effects.
The Minister praised the efforts of the World Bank in strengthening the umbrella of social protection, including supporting the comprehensive health insurance system, in order to help achieve the desired goals and rehabilitate health infrastructure, human resources, and strengthen governance systems, in a way that ensures the sustainability of the new system ’ s ability to meet its obligations towards providing comprehensive health care to citizens efficiently. care, and the most needy groups, in a way that contributes to reducing poverty rates and providing a decent life for citizens.
The minister pointed out the importance of maximizing the participation of the private sector in green projects, and attracting more local and foreign investments, which helps to increase environmentally compatible production activities.
The Minister invited the President of the World Bank to attend Finance Day on November 9, which will discuss many topics related to financing the green transformation.
The meeting was attended by the Minister ’ s Advisor for Foreign Relations, Dr. Hossam Hussein, the Minister ’ s Advisor for Financial Markets, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim, the Minister ’ s Assistant for Policies and Economic Affairs, and Alaa Abdulrahman, the Minister ’ s Assistant for International Relations Affairs.