UNDP’s events at Building Bridges Week 2023

UNDP will hold four events on innovative and sustainable finance at the building bridges 2023

September 13, 2023

UNDP Building Bridges event overview

UNDP Geneva
Event Details

03 - 05 October 2023

Centre International de Conférence Genève, Switzerland (CICG)

UNDP is hosting four sessions during the Building Bridges Action Days this year, with a focus on sovereign debts and investment opportunities in Africa.

The overlaying of crises has aggravated the financing needs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially among low-income and vulnerable countries. 25 developing economy governments have external debt service payments higher than 20 percent of total revenue – the highest number of countries in more than 20 years. Coupled with rising debt burdens this considerably shrinks space for spending on essential services. In tackling the debt crisis and lack of access to affordable financing, the UN has called for an SDG stimulus to address the immediate binding constraints on financing and mobilize investments for the SDGs in developing countries.  

In cooperation with the FC4S in Nairobi, Kigali and Lagos, UNDP promotes a discussion and exchange about the environment for SDG investments in these jurisdictions and Africa more broadly, the conditions and collaborations needed to build pipelines of SDG investments in the continent, and the perception of financial centres concerning risks and opportunities for investments in Africa. 

Register to participate at UNDP’s events at Building Bridges Week 2023 on https://registration.buildingbridges.org/  (link is external)

Consult the full program of the Building Bridges Action Days on https://www.buildingbridges.org/2023-edition/actiondays/  (link is external)

Events When Room Description 
Panel: “Debt to Impact, Turning Sovereign Obligations into SDG Investments” October 3 | 
11:30 – 12:30 CET 

The session seeks to promote the exchange of experience and expertise among practitioners and policy makers in the design and use of SDG, thematic bonds and debt swaps and reprofiling or write-offs to identify key success factors and weaknesses. 

 

Fishbowl Conversation: “Exploring SDG Investment Opportunities in Africa” 

 

October 4 |  
13:30 – 15:00 CET 
Roundtable discussion on methodologies used to unlock public and private capital towards the SDGs in emerging economies in Africa 
Workshop: “Exploring SDG Investment Opportunities in Kenya" 

October 4 | 

15:30 – 16:30 CET 

This session will explore the SDG Investment opportunities in Kenya. Additionally, look at the enabling environment that has been designed by Nairobi International Finance Center to attract SDG capital flows into the country 

 

Fishbowl Conversation: “Rwanda’s Value Proposition to ESG Investors” October 4 |  
17:00 – 18:30 CET 

This practical, hands-on workshop will bring together diverse actors from the finance industry, entrepreneurs, investors, development and government officials from Rwanda, in a dynamic and open discussion about the investment conditions and needs in Rwanda, and the priority SDGs. 

 

UNDP Event | Debt to impact, turning sovereign obligations into SDG investments

About the Building Bridges 2023:  

ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE FINANCE  

Building Bridges is a leading collaborative initiative that sets the agenda on sustainable finance and paves the way for innovative impactful solutions to achieve the SDGs and accelerate the transition of our economies.  

CONNECTING SECTORS & ORGANIZATIONS  

Building Bridges convenes and gives a voice to a large community of decision makers, experts, entrepreneurs, investors and financial actors from both the Global North and South.  

LEVERAGING FINANCE FOR THE SDGS  

Building Bridges promotes an inclusive and holistic vision of a sustainable society that equally addresses social, economic and environmental issues.  

CREATING IMPACT  

The Building Bridges movement is a catalyst for change. By creating synergies and partnerships, the initiative translates words into meaningful actions that concretely contribute to the sustainable development agenda.  

 

For more information regarding the sessions, contact

Luisa Bernal, UNDP Geneva, luisa.bernal@undp.org

Kennedy Mmasi, UNDP South Africa, kennedy.mmasi@undp.org