In light of the coronavirus pandemic, sustainable finance is more important than ever to help countries rebuild and become more resilient. It is a powerful tool to deepen financial stability and public-private partnerships to address urgent social and environmental priorities. Low-income countries are accustomed to innovating in response to urgent challenges and economic constraints. Despite challenges, low-income countries in the SBN community are at the forefront of the new trend towards sustainable financial markets. This webinar presents exclusive country insights from the SBN report Necessary Ambition: How Low-Income Countries Are Adopting Sustainable Finance to Address Poverty, Climate Change, and Other Urgent Challenges, launched on June 22. The report is the first comprehensive review of drivers and innovation behind market-level efforts to promote sustainable finance in low-income countries. It includes 16 case studies, 8 country reports, and practical decision-making tools based on countries’ various experiences. The webinar featured opening remarks by IFC Vice President, and presentations by four SBN member countries – Bangladesh, Kenya, Mongolia, and Nigeria – about their national journeys to promote a financial sector shift to sustainable finance practices. It also explored how the integration of sustainable finance can contribute to a country’s overall development ambitions.

Speakers (+ bios):

●  Georgina Baker, Vice President of IFC, Chair of SBN Secretariat

●  Batmunkh Batbold, Coordinator of SBN Task Force

●  Nomindari Enkhtur, CEO of the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association

●  Asif Iqbal, Joint Director, Bank of Bangladesh

●  Aisha Mahmood, Special Advisor to the Governor on Sustainable Banking, Central Bank of Nigeria

●  Nuru Mugambi, Director, Kenya Bankers Association

●  Louise Gardiner, Coordinator of SBN African region & Green Bond Working Group

Presentation: Rebuilding Resilience through Sustainable Finance