Nairobi, 20 June 2025 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with FSD Africa, successfully concluded a three-day regional forum on sustainable finance for governments in Nairobi, Kenya. The Forum on “Developing Sustainable Finance Products in Africa » brought together sixty senior officials from ten African countries - Angola, the DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda - to explore practical strategies for integrating sustainable finance into national fiscal and debt frameworks.
Africa faces a dual crisis: rising public debt - averaging 27% of government revenues in interest payments - and increasing climate risks, despite contributing less than 4% of global emissions. The forum aimed to support governments in aligning their fiscal frameworks with sustainable finance principles by offering practical tools and peer exchange. Participants explored strategies such as issuing green and sustainability-linked bonds, leveraging debt-for-nature swaps, and enhancing sovereign credit ratings to unlock private and concessional climate finance.
Discussions highlighted the urgent need for new models of capital mobilization and cross-sectoral collaboration to tackle the “doom loop” between debt stress and climate fragility. Participants shared case studies and developed national strategies for integrating ESG criteria into public finance management, improving debt transparency, and enhancing domestic capital markets. The sessions also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and institutional capacity in scaling up green investment aligned with SDGs and Agenda 2063.
The Forum on “Developing Sustainable Finance Products in Africa is part of a broader initiative led by ECA and FSD Africa and funded by ACF (African Climate Foundation) and CIFF (Children's Investment Fund Foundation) to help African countries strengthen fiscal resilience, attract sustainable capital, and build green, inclusive economies. By equipping stakeholders with actionable tools and fostering peer learning, the initiative supports Africa’s ambition to transition from debt vulnerability toward climate-smart, sovereign-led development. Follow-up support, including technical assistance and market development workshops, is planned in the months ahead.
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Houda Filali-Ansary - Communications Officer
ECA Office for North Africa
E-mail: filali-ansary@un.org
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