VIENNA, June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The OPEC Fund
for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is hosting its third
Development Forum on Tuesday June 25,
2024 in Vienna, Austria
with a focus on delivering solutions to achieve sustainable
development.
The Development Forum will feature the Minister of Finance of
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Mohammed Al-Jadaan, OPEC Fund
President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, the
President of Sierra Leone, Julius
Maada Wonie Bio, the Chairman of the Sierra Leone Presidential
Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security
Kandeh Yumkella, China's Vice
Minister of Finance Liao Min and
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy of
Kazakhstan, Nurlan Baibazarov as
opening speakers.
OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid
Alkhalifa said: "We are proud to convene our development
partners from around the world and provide a South-South platform
for the international development community. Our aim is to bridge
the gap between promise and practice. I am confident that the OPEC
Fund Development Forum 2024, in its third year, will again deliver
solid outcomes with direct support for economies and communities
and drive progress towards a sustainable future."
Following the opening session the OPEC Fund Development Forum
2024 will focus on three key themes: enhancing institutional
capacity, accelerating investment in smart infrastructure, and
developing human capital. The discussions and outcomes of the Forum
aim to speed up progress towards achieving the global sustainable
development agenda and tackling pressing global issues such as
climate change and food security.
Confirmed speakers for the Development Forum include State
Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka,
Shehan Semasinghe; Minister of
Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan, Zeina Zeid
Toukan; Minister of Finance of Tajikistan, Faiziddin Qahhorzoda; Deputy
Minister of Finance of Armenia,
Eduard Hakobyan; Chairman, Islamic
Development Bank (IsDB), Muhammad Sulaiman
Al Jasser; President, International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), Alvario Lario; Executive Director, World Food
Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain; CEO,
Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Laura Frigenti; and Director
General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi.
One day prior to the Development Forum, on June 24, the OPEC Fund is also hosting an event
to celebrate the 25th anniversary of OPEC Fund private
sector operations. With over 600 projects amounting to a total
commitment of more than US$10.5
billion to date, its private sector operations have directly
contributed to the OPEC Fund's development impact in more than 70
countries globally. OPEC Fund President Alkhalifa said: "The
private sector drives economic growth, job creation and wealth
generation. Expanding into private sector operations a quarter
century ago proved a watershed moment for the OPEC Fund that has
significantly enhanced our development impact ever since."
The private sector event will bring together development
partners from across the world and feature a roundtable discussion
on "Private Sector: Shaping the Future of Development Finance."
Egypt's Minister of International
Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat will
deliver the keynote address. Confirmed speakers are: OPEC Fund Vice
President Private Sector, Tareq
Alnassar, Regional Vice President, Middle East, Central
Asia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, International Finance Corporation
(IFC), Hela Cheikhrouhou, ACWA Power CEO Marco Arcelli, Standard Chartered Bank CEO for
UK and Regional Head of Client Coverage for the UK & Türkiye,
Saif Malik, Group President and
Managing Director, Trade & Development Bank, Admassu Tadesse, Director General for Private
Sector Operations, Asian Development Bank, Suzanne Gaboury and Chief Strategy Officer, IDB
Invest Luiz Gabriel Todt de Azevedo. The roundtable will be
moderated by Board Member & Executive Director Financial
Services of Africa Finance Corporation Sanjeev Gupta.
For a full list of speakers and a detailed program of the OPEC
Fund Development Forum 2024 and other events please visit the
official website.
About the OPEC Fund
The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is
the only globally mandated development institution that provides
financing from member countries to non-member countries
exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing
country partners and the international development community to
stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and
middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was
established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development,
strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is
people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential
needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment
(particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation,
healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed
about US$27 billion to development
projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost
of more than US$200 billion. The OPEC
Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and AA+, Outlook Stable
by S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is
a reality for all.
Logo:
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1899865/OPEC_Fund_Logo.jpg
Media contact:
Basak Pamir
+43151564174
b.pamir@opecfund.org
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