Capex is returning to the market, and the project pipeline is burgeoning. We gather leading developers and export finance borrowers from across the Middle East to consider:

• What kinds of new projects are borrowers and developers working on?  

• What terms of finance would be most beneficial for borrowers?

• What are borrowers and developers doing to mitigate their own credit risk?

Multilaterals play a key role in MENA’s development. Although it is important that all voices are represented, development does not only occur from the top-down but from the bottom-up. Hear the local DFI perspective:

• What are MENA's DFIs prioritising?

• What trends and opportunities are happening at the grassroots?

• Which MENA countries are experiencing increased investment appetite?

• How can the industry support local and bilateral DFIs?

MENA is a gateway between the growing economies of Africa, Southeast Asia and the West, providing bountiful opportunities for exporters both into and out of the region. But what do exporters need from the structured finance market to help them succeed? We ask:

• What do exporters need from local and international banking markets to do business in the region?

• What support do exporters need from ECAs? Are existing products cutting the mustard, or do ECAs need to become more innovative?

• What are the main challenges exporters face when seeking financing in the Middle East?

Middle Eastern countries are increasingly looking to Sub-Saharan Africa as an investment destination. Join this workshop to discuss:

• Which funds are looking to Sub-Saharan Africa, and what projects are they interested in?

• How can DFIs help to mobilise Middle Eastern capital into Sub-Saharan Africa?

• How best do we categorise sustainable and social deals in Africa to ensure capital gets to where it's needed?

ECA collaboration with DFIs is a crucial development across developing markets, notably Egypt and Turkey. This panel will discuss how partnerships between ECAs and DFIs can help mobilise capital into crucial projects:

• What role will blended finance play in the future of developing markets?

• Uncovering the challenges around local content requirements and technological transfer

• The prospect of ECA and DFI cooperation for large scale development projects

Closed at $300 million in September 2022, the ECI-backed Zarafshan Wind represents Uzbekistan's first utility-scale wind farm. The 500MW project is a landmark for the region, and this case study gathers dealmakers to consider:

• How will Zarafshan help Uzbekistan meet its goal to derive 25% of its energy needs from renewables by the end of the decade?
• What challenges did dealmakers have to overcome to bring the project to financial close?
• What roles did DFI and ECA coverage play in the transaction?

In the last year, we've seen commodities traders start to borrow on the ECA market. This new trend is taking the market by storm, but what do the deals actually look like? This session will consider:

• How to effectively structure untied ECA backed debt for commodities traders
• Which borrowers have capitalised on these deals and what have their experiences been like?
• Will we see more traders borrowing on the ECA market in 2023?

In the face of considerable challenges, 2022 saw the closing of the landmark Amunet Wind Project Financing. Closing at $522 million with DFI direct lending and ECA wrapping, the transaction paves the way for wind projects across the Middle East & North Africa. This session gathers dealmakers to discuss:

• What unique challenges did dealmakers face in bringing the project to close?
• Technical analyses of the financing
• How will Amunet Wind pave the way for future transactions in the region?