NDB Seminars in the 9th Annual Meeting

The NDB will be hosting its Annual Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, on 29-31 August 2024. As a side event to this auspicious occasion, NDB is planning to host a seminar “Development Finance Institutions at the Forefront of Infrastructure Investment”. As NDB expands its operations in response to the needs of its member countries, by arranging the seminar, the aim is to gain insights from other financial institutions, particularly multilateral development banks majority owned by EMDCs and national development finance institutions (DFIs), who have extensive experience in financing infrastructure in emerging markets, including NDB member countries.

In accordance with the NDB Articles of Agreement, the NDB shall mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other EMDCs, complementing the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development. The NDB shall also cooperate with international organizations and other financial entities.

Since its inception NDB developed strategic partnership with multilateral development banks, DFIs and commercial banks. As of June 2024, NDB has approved 18 loans to financial intermediaries in the amount of USD 3.9 billion and the total project costs for approved transactions co-financed/parallel financed with partner financial institutions exceeded USD 50 billion.

Furthermore, the NDB has entered into Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and partnership agreements with a significant number of financial institutions (FIs), including a MOU with members of the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism. As such, the seminar can also be used to advance the objectives of MOUs and partnership agreements. 

The key themes to be covered include:

• Strategies for increasing collaboration amongst MDBs and role of MDBs led by EMDCs in addressing global issues of climate change, poverty and sustainable infrastructure.
• Strategies for local currency financing – many banks, including the NDB, have included local financing as a target; NDB will share experience of RMB financing and issuing “panda” bonds in China’s debt capital markets.
• Enhancing Credit Assessments: use of local national ratings of borrowers and/or internal ratings (i.e. prepared by the banks) when advancing financing to borrowers.

Objectives of the proposed seminar are the following:

• Share knowledge and exchange experiences by peer MDBs and the FIs on the themes outlined above.
• Explore challenges related to local currency financing in the NDB member countries and explore solutions provided by other Fis.
• Build on relationships with both existing and prospective clients of the NDB, in order to develop an understanding of NDB’s business and for project pipeline
• Use the lessons shared to assist NDB in developing financing products that addresses the needs of its member countries.

Target audience

Participants in the event will include senior management of development finance institutions including, multilateral and national development banks, selected commercial banks in the NDB member countries, international banks, and senior government officials.

August 31, 2024

Hall 7, CTICC II, Cape Town, South Africa