AfDB Seals Deal With ILX To Support SDGs, Climate Change Projects In Africa

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) -The African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Africa’s premier development finance institution, has signed a new agreement with ILX Management B.V. (ILX), an Amsterdam-based fund management firm, to raise additional capital for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate change projects across Africa.

ILX is an emerging market focused private credit fund that invests in loan participations originated and structured by Multilateral Development Banks and other Development Finance Institutions. It aims to create large scale investment opportunities in global development finance that directly contribute to sustainable development across the emerging markets.

The firm was established with the grant support from the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation (KfW) on behalf of the German Ministry for Development Cooperation (BMZ), the Netherland’s Directorate General for International Cooperation and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

ILX Fund I provides a scalable $1 billion private credit investment strategy to be deployed across emerging and developing countries, co-financing with global Multilateral Development Banks (MDB) and other DFIs.

The new partnership deal between AfDB and ILX, which was signed at the offices of ILX Management in the Netherlands capital Amsterdam, will scale up investments and spur institutional investor capital mobilization for SDGs and climate-focussed private sector projects in the bank’s regional member countries.

The cooperation arrangement enables the AfDB to deliver on its ambition to mobilize financial resources from institutional investors to bridge the significant financing gap required to meet its High Five priorities: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

In addition, the partnership will allow the bank and ILX to support non-sovereign operations in these key priority sectors. Notably, the High 5s are intrinsically linked to the SDGs.

At the same time, the arrangement offers ILX Fund pension fund participants the opportunity to benefit from the AfDB’s long-standing track record of successfully investing in key economic sectors across Africa.

All loan investments are SDG or Climate Finance-focussed while offering attractive risk-adjusted returns, combined with robust environmental, social and governance (ESG) safeguarding.

Meanwhile, APG Asset Management, the Netherlands’ largest pension provider, together with Achmea Investment Management have committed $1,050 million to Emerging Market private credit fund ILX Fund I, to invest in four key economic sectors; energy access and clean energy, sustainable industry and infrastructure, inclusive finance and food security.

ILX invests in loan participations arranged by Multilateral Development Banks and other leading DFIs in support of their SDG and Climate focused projects across the Emerging Markets and Developing Economies.

ILX received grant funding in its development phase from: KfW, the German Development Bank, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ); the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

They strongly supported ILX’s role in mobilising large scale pension fund capital for the leading MDBs and other DFIs in support of their SDG and climate-finance-related investments in emerging markets.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ILX, Manfred Schepers said his organization is excited about its partnership with AfDB.

“We are delighted to have established this strategic partnership. The launch of this partnership demonstrates AfDB’s strong commitment to engage actively with European pension funds, as a key partner in its mobilization effort and contribution to sustainable growth across the African continent.

“We look forward to a long-term partnership with AfDB on behalf of our pension fund investors, which are becoming key counterparts to finance SDG and climate-finance projects across the emerging markets”, he said.

Similarly, AfDB’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Hassatou N’Sele said  “We are very pleased to be partnering with ILX to mobilize institutional capital with a Sustainable Development Goals focus. Our objectives are aligned, and the AfDB has a strong track record of structuring and financing projects with a strong development impact”.

Also in her remarks, the Director-General for International Cooperation, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands, Kitty van der Heijden noted that with this agreement, Dutch pension funds, ILX and the African Development Bank join hands to increase investments in the SDG and climate goals on the African continent.

“A very welcome step, as the challenges in achieving the SDGs, and the need to integrate the global climate commitments in African countries’ development pathways, are more urgent than ever”, she stressed.