Africa & Middle East

20 January 2021

New report sheds light on sustainable financing in Arab region and provides policy recommendations

A new report provides the first in-depth analysis of  sustainable finance practices in a part of the world most vulnerable to the effects of climate change: the Arab region. Issues such as water scarcity, rising sea levels, drought, land degradation and desertification will have serious repercussions for food, energy and water security in this area. Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals – in particular those that help deal with the interlinked water-energy-food challenges – will be key to build resilient, fairer economies.

Knowledge Platform – Tools and Training

Our sustainable finance tools and training services are part of our effort to fulfil the mission of UNEP FI to “identify, promote, and realise the adoption of best environmental and sustainability practice at all levels of financial institution operations”. These services aim to raise awareness and to build capacity in sustainable finance amongst UNEP FI…

11 April 2019

UNEP FI Regional Roundtable Africa and Middle East 2019: Highlights

UNEP FI’s first Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance for 2019 took place in Cairo this week with more than 220 delegates and speakers. We opened with a first, holding an event that brought together insurers from all over MENA – the Principles for Sustainable Insurance Market Event for Egypt. Hosted by the Financial Regulatory Authority…

20 June 2018

Arab African International Bank (AAIB) in Egypt joins UNEP FI

The AAIB joined UNEP FI in April this year becoming the second member from Egypt to join our global sustainable finance network. For many years, the bank has been active in embedding sustainability practices in their business and in the industry. Hassan Abdalla, CEO of AAIB said in a statement that “The UNEP FI is bound…

18 June 2018

Blog: A path to sustainable cocoa and forest restoration in Côte d’Ivoire

    Part of UNEP FI’s work in ecosystems management includes creating investable models for investors, as well as providing knowledge, and imparting insight for private finance to contribute to sustainable land use projects. Côte d’Ivoire has the fastest rate of deforestation in the world, much of which is caused by the cultivation of cocoa, a commodity that is a big contributor to the economy. Thomas Yapo, UNEP FI’s Economics and Finance Consultant for Africa writes about…

5 April 2018

Green Finance Study to take place in Ghana

In line with one of the proposed Ghana Banking principles of promoting customers to integrate Environmental Social Governance (ESG) in their business, UNEP FI through colleagues at the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) is undertaking a study to assess the level of integration of sustainability in the business sector’s operations, value chains and…

12 September 2017

Tawreeq Holdings endorses the Positive Impact Manifesto and the Principles for Positive Impact Finance

  UNEP FI is pleased to welcome the 23rd financial institution to join the Positive Impact Initiative. Tawreeq Holdings Limited, with subsidiaries in the UAE and Luxembourg, specializes in comprehensive Supply Chain Finance (SCF) solutions for Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) and their corporate clients across the MENA region. These solutions are made available through…

6 July 2017 | Casablanca, Morocco

Positive Impact Initiative African Launch

UNEP FI and Casablanca Finance City are pleased to anounce the regional launch of the Positive Impact initiative and the Principles for Positive Impact Finance, held in Casablanca on July 6th 2017.

3 March 2017

UNEP FI and Ecobanking Project Deliver ESRA Training to Financial Institutions in Zambia

UNEP FI and Ecobanking Project partnered with the International Trade Centre (ITC), the African Guarantee Fund for Small and Medium Enterprises (AGF) and the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) to deliver a series of Environmental and Social Risk Analysis (ESRA) training sessions designed for financial institutions in Zambia. The training sessions – which focus on environmental and…

27 January 2017

Jordan Ahli Bank becomes first bank in Jordan to join UNEP FI

The Jordan Ahli Bank joined UNEP FI in January, thus becoming the first bank in Jordan to be a part of the initiative and the second to join from the country. Recognising its environmental and social responsibility, Ahli Bank has incorporated management policies that resonate with environmental standards and has been a pioneer in making…

27 January 2017

Tawreeq Holdings first financial institution from UAE to join UNEP FI

  In early January, Tawreeq Holdings, a UAE and Luxembourg based group, endorsed and became a signatory of the UNEP Statement of Commitment by Financial Institutions on Sustainable Development. Specializing in comprehensive Supply Chain Finance (SCF) solutions targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their corporate clients across the MENA region, Tawreeq Holdings as the first UAE…

30 November 2016

Blog from Cop 22 Part II: A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities: Progress and Challenges on the Road from Paris to Marrakech In his second blog on COP 22, the climate conference that took place in Marrakech from 4 -16 November 2016, UNEP FI Climate Change Officer, Remco Fischer asks what was accomplished in Morocco, and summarises UNEP FI’s contribution.  In the…

14 November 2016

Blog: News from Climate COP22 Part I

The Good, The Bad, and the Unknown UNEP FI round-up: developments and outcomes from the first week of the 2016 intergovernmental climate conference in Marrakech, Morocco (COP22) by Remco Fischer, Climate Change Programme Officer. The good Last year’s climate meeting in Paris, COP 21, has been widely praised as historic for two reasons: it was…

27 October 2016

UNEP FI‘s Global Roundtable held in the Middle East, Dubai, for the first time

25-27 October, 2016 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates Over the years the GRT has become the key global agenda-setting event on sustainable finance, bringing together hundreds of leaders from all parts of the financial system as well as from civil society, academia, government and the United Nations. The 14th edition of the GRT built on…

28 May 2016

BASA signs agreement to join UNEP FI as Supporting Institution

On 27 May 2016, the Banking Association South Africa (BASA) signed an agreement to join UNEP FI as a supporting partner becoming the first Banking Industry Association in Africa and third globally, to achieve a Supporting Institution Status. This partnership comes in celebration of 15 years of collaboration between UNEP FI and BASA, a collaboration dating…

21 February 2012

New Report: Head of UNEP calls for scaled-up renewable energy in Africa at launch

Smart public policies are key to powering up sub-Saharan’s Africa’s clean energy potential, said the head of UNEP Achim Steiner while unveiling UNEP FI’s latest report in Nairobi Tuesday. Financing Renewable Energy in Developing Countries: Drivers and Barriers for Private Finance in sub-Saharan Africa outlines how current obstacles to renewable energy solutions in Africa can…