Africa’s debt problem constrains government spending and investment across the continent. Ample access to electricity is another problem, which constrains growth. Then there are the twin climate and biodiversity crises, to which fragile African states are particularly vulnerable. There is no panacea for these interlocking challenges. But there is a tool that offers the chance to make some progress on all of them — debt-for-nature swaps (DfNS).

Not that long ago, private equity firms only had to be active in Africa to claim their capital was having an ‘impact’. Such was the investment shortfall that simply being willing to face the array of challenges earned the label. But as the standards for impact investing are rise, private equity needs to find a way to meet them while simultaneously delivering higher risk-adjusted returns.

Long known as a hot Caribbean tourist destination, the Dominican Republic continues to invest in the critical sector at pace. The country is attracting substantial financial investment beyond the traditional “sun and sea” offering, as growing environmental considerations reshape its largest economic sector.

Economic uncertainty caused by geopolitical turmoil, such as the Ukrainian or the Middle East conflicts, have changed perceptions of sustainability and ESG in some parts of the asset management and banking industries. However, the world’s leading banks are investing more, not less, into ESG initiatives – none more so than Spain’s market leader CaixaBank.

Opportunities for treasurers to build resilience and tackle growth opportunities in an uncertain economic landscape

Middle East and Africa banking series

When it comes to servicing corporates through Treasury and Capital Markets (TCM), client experience is crucial. Hammad Naqvi, Group Head of TCM at Mashreq, explains how an unrivalled breadth of product and laser focus on service enables the bank to punch far above its weight.

Mashreq’s holistic approach to digital transformation, customer-centricity, and technological innovation have been key to its success in the digital banking space. Fernando Morillo, group head of retail banking at Mashreq, discusses the bank’s successful journey.

After coming worryingly close to a full-blown economic crisis, this year saw Egypt turn things around. The authorities are promising new policies, privatisation, a raft of reforms and a thriving private sector. Investors – domestic and international – have been placated. But it will take much more for them to have faith that this time things will truly be different.

The most optimistic vision for Egypt’s economic future rests on a private sector that is allowed to grow and thrive. A combination of red tape, restrictions and state-owned monopoly has long prevented private firms from meeting their true potential. Egyptian authorities say they mean business this time – but there are some tough barriers that need breaking.

The EU Instant Payments Regulation, which came into effect in April 2024, aims to make instant payments the standard across the Single Euro Payments Area, while introducing enhanced security measures for faster transactions. Marianne Demarchi, Chief Executive EMEA at Swift, argues that interoperability between fragmented European Verification of Payee (VoP) schemes is a fundamental first step toward the success of pre-validating payments on a global scale.

Corporate treasury is rapidly evolving so organisations can navigate and adapt to a rapidly changing environment. For treasurers across industries, understanding the essential building blocks for successful treasury transformation is crucial.

The surge in wealth creation in Asia has led to the rise of a powerful player in the industry: the family office.

Africa’s economic growth has slowed markedly over the last 10 years. The solutions are many, but ultimately African countries need to move further up the value chain and diversify into new products. This means more trade - much more.

It is often said that African countries trade more with countries outside the continent than amongst themselves, in part as a legacy of the old colonial development model. Bolstering intra-Africa trade is not only welcome but also a key answer to sluggish economic growth. Progress through tools such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is happening, but not as fast as it could.

A focus on supporting small and medium enterprises, a penchant for innovation, international standards and an emphasis on sustainable financing have put Golomt Bank in prime position in Mongolia’s banking industry.

Despite the challenging macro environment, corporate confidence is rising as UK and European economies emerge from recession, emboldening companies’ drive for expansion

Multiple forces are driving a profound transformation in global trade and supply chains. As a bank operating at the core of these global networks, HSBC highlights five of the forces that are having some of the greatest impact on the future of trade