The UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) hosted its Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance for Africa and the Middle East on May 6–7, 2025, in Marrakech, Morocco. This key event, open to UNEP FI members and non-members, played a crucial role in shaping the sustainable finance agenda, driving the transition toward a greener, more just economy, and securing a sustainable future for the region..
Access the event materials:
As part of UNEP FI’s biennial series of five major regional events on sustainable finance in 2025, the Africa and Middle East Roundtable highlighted innovative responses to emerging global trends in sustainable finance and responsible banking and insurance practices. The event brought together finance professionals to discuss critical sustainability issues, including climate mitigation and adaptation, nature-positive finance, just transition, financial inclusion, sustainability policy and regulation, real economy transition, carbon trading, and carbon finance, among others.
Day 1 | 6 May 2025
| Time | Session | |
| 8:00 | Registration and opening of UNEP FI Regional Roundtable Africa and Middle East | |
| 9:00 | Opening remarks
|
|
| 9:10 | Opening remarks
|
|
| 9:20 | Keynote
|
|
| 9:30 | High-level dialogue: Regional collaboration to support sustainability goals
|
|
| 10:00 | Plenary panel: Accelerating the real economy transition in Africa and Middle East
|
|
| 10:50 | Break | |
| 11:10 | Plenary panel: Advancing action on climate adaptation and resilience
|
|
| 12:10 | Fireside chat: Unlocking private finance for the Sustainable Development Goals
|
|
| 12:40 | Lunch | |
| 13:40 | Plenary panel: V20 SIF: Financing & insuring MSMEs for climate adaptation & resilience
|
|
| Deep dive sessions | Deep dive sessions | |
| 14:50 | Portfolio analysis and materiality assessment for banks
|
Embedding sustainability into African insurance markets
|
| 15:50 | Break | |
| 16:20 | Healthy and inclusive economies: the role of banks
|
Insuring a resilient nature-positive future
|
| 17:20 | Workshop for banks: Principles for Responsible Banking framework updates and discussion
|
Workshop for banks and insurers: Nature in the boardroom
|
| 18:30 | End of Day 1 | |
Day 2 | 7 May 2025
| Time | Session | |
| 8:00 | Registration and Opening of Day 2 of the Regional Roundtable for Africa and Middle East | |
| 9:00 | Plenary panel: Regulatory developments promoting sustainable finance
|
|
| 9:50 | High-level dialogue: Advancing carbon markets in Africa and Middle East
|
|
| 10:30 | Break | |
| Deep dive sessions | Deep dive sessions | |
| 11:00 | Engaging banking clients and customers for a sustainable future
|
Unlocking circular economy finance
|
| 12:00 | Lunch | |
| 13:00 | Supporting a just and inclusive transition in Africa and Middle East
|
How finance can develop and scale up nature-based solutions
|
| 14:00 | Workshop for banks: Navigating the climate mitigation journey: A practical workshop for banks
|
Workshop for insurers: Advancing Sustainable Insurance in Africa & the Middle East: PSI Focus Areas
|
| 15:30 | Break | |
| 16:15 | Africa and Middle East Engagement Forum (Open to all) Theme: Unlocking opportunities – The business case for financing agriculture
|
|
| 17:30 | End of Day 2 | |
Showcase your leadership and partner with us
Partnering with UNEP FI on a Regional Roundtable offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to advancing the sustainable finance agenda globally. It also enhances your brand’s visibility among the global finance community, UNEP FI members, and key stakeholders. Please contact Melissa Angel for more information.
Younes Addou
Vice President Agribusiness & Sustainability Solutions, INNOVX
Emeka Akwiwu
Group Executive Director, Continental Reinsurance
Walid Ali
General Manager, Sustainability Department, Central Bank of Egypt
Rachael Antwi
Head of Group Sustainability and ESG, Ecobank Transnational Incorporation
Christine Arandi
ESG Specialist, Britam Holdings Plc
Ziad Baddou
Director Consulting FSI, Maroc & Afrique Francophone, Deloitte Conseil
Nabil Badr
Deputy Director of the Banking Supervision Department, Bank Al-Maghrib
Hany Bahy
Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Finance, Sekem Group
Shargiil Bashir
Chief Sustainability Officer and Executive Vice President, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Sokayna Bellam
Co-founder, Jodoor
Amal Benaissa
Director, Sustainability Advocacy, Bank of Africa - BMCE Group
Yusuf Bodiat
Head of Finance and Investment, African Risk Capacity
Zouhair Bou-Sokri
Banker, Financial Institutions, EBRD
Abderrahim Bouazza
Director General, Bank Al-Maghrib
Lily Burge
Policy Manager at Climate Bonds Initiative
Salma Chemsi
Head of Agricultural Expertise & Sustainable Development Pole, Crédit Agricole Du Maroc
Njideka Esomeju
Group Head, Products and Segments, Access Bank PLC
Tonna Ezema
Head of Sustainable Banking, Fidelity Bank
Solène Favre
Global Director of Insurance, VisionFund International
Anas Felhi
General Manager for North Africa, KliK Foundation
Yourdy Roku Gaetjens
Director, Alternative & Innovative Financing Operations, BDEAC
Alessandra Garbero
Lead Economist in the Near East, North Africa, & Central Europe Division, IFAD
Louise Gardiner
Senior Operations Officer, Financial Institutions Group, IFC | Climate Finance Lead, Eastern and Southern Africa
Suzan Hamdy
Chief Sustainability and Sustainable Finance Officer, Banque Misr
Chiyedza Heri
CEO, Ubuntu Alliance
Lavine Irvine
CEO, Coastal Biotech
Sarah Klutse
ESG/CSR Evaluator, West African Development Bank (BOAD)
Sanae Lahlou
Country Representative in Morocco, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Walid Machrouh
National Coordinator of the Green4Youth project, ILO
Stephen Mago
Professor and Head of Department, Development Studies,Nelson Mandela University
Eslam Mahdy
Associate Director of Sustainability, Guidehouse & Africa and Middle East Regional Lead, PCAF
Dr Mahmoud Mohieldin
United Nations Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
Najwa Mouhaouri
Head of Climate Finance Regulation Department · Bank Al-Maghrib
Yasser Mounsif
Director of Issuers, Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC)
Habiba Mouttaki
Chief Commercial Officer, OCP Africa
Noleen Moyo
Head, Sustainability, Data Management and Analytics, Zimre Holdings Limited
Nungari Mwangi
Strategy, Program Development and Partnerships Lead, Agri-SME Development and Innovative Finance Program, AfDB
Charles Nhemachena
Regional Director for Africa, Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)
Roselyne Njino
Sustainability Manager, Kenya Bankers Association
Sesilia Nkoshi
Senior Underwriter for Non-life Reinsurance, Namibia National Reinsurance Corporation
Ghizlaine Nourlil
Financing Mobilization and Sustainability Group Director, Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG) Group
Nana Yaa Afriyie Ofori-Koree
Head of Partnerships, Sustainability & CSR, Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited
Amaechi Michael Okobi
Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Access Holdings PLC
Edmund Otaigbe
Group Head, Credit Administration, Governance & Project Monitoring, Access Bank PLC
Mohammed Rachid
Director, Institutional Affairs, Casablanca Finance City Authority (CFCA)
Amine Ryane
Director of International Development & Partnerships, Atlantic Re
Henda Sebai
Head of Risk Management Department, Tunis Re
Badri Seetharaman
Director, Middle East and North Africa, StepChange
Boitumelo Sethlatswe
Head, Sustainability, Standard Bank Group & Co-chair, UNEP FI Banking Board
Hassan Aftab Sheikh
Career Development Fellow in Nature Finance, the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford
Caroline Wakesho Sonje
ESG Specialist, ICEA Lion
Mamoun Tahri Joutei
Head, Business Intelligence & Sustainability, Bank of Africa
Hamid Tawfiki
Deputy CEO, CDG Group
Samuel Tiriongo
Director of Research and Policy, the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA)
Daniel Udeme-Joseph
CEO, Farm Monitor Africa
Monday Utomwen
Chief Risk Officer, WAICA Reinsurance Corporation