By Izabela Hamilton
The 8th Africa ESG & 7th AIFAM Forum Mauritius 2022, held at the Hilton Resort & Spa in Flic-en-Flac, was concluded last month. The two-day forum focusing on “Enhancing long-term investment performance through sustainable investing” was launched in the presence of the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Hon. Mahen Kumar Seeruttun. It also served as an opportunity for the various stakeholders to reflect on future investments and their ESG impact, and to enhance the visibility of Africa as an attractive investment climate.
In his keynote address, Hon. Minister Seeruttun highlighted the importance of the Africa ESG and AIFAM forum posing as a platform for discussion on inclusive domestic economic development and environmental protection.
“Economies need to invest in capacity-building programs that will further encourage new and alternative investments”, said Hon. Minister Seeruttun. “Thus, investors should be conscious of the impact of investments on climate change and take into consideration ESG to come up with sustainable projects”.
The Minister pointed out that every stakeholder has a responsibility to partake in the global discussion about the socio-economic challenges that are intensifying as a result of climate change, a global reality that we can no longer afford to ignore. He highlighted the forum’s valuable contribution to this and advocated that economies across the globe need to invest in capacity-building programs that will allow them to make use of the new or alternative investment vehicles that are emerging in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
As for Mauritius’ approach to these issues, he confirmed that “the government has solidified its commitment to making the island a climate-change resilient and low-emission country by adopting the Climate Change Act 2020. The jurisdiction has a key role in inducing investment opportunities for the region. The Ministry is committed to creating a conducive environment for private-sector participation in economic development, especially within the ESG framework.”
Hon. Minister Seeruttun stated that a number of initiatives have been put in place, including the Mauritius 2050 Pathways Calculator to implement long-term energy strategies, and the Green Bond Framework for private issuers by the Financial Services Commission. He also highlighted that the concept of alternative investment is not a “plan B” but an imperative investment, and one that offers the chance for Africa to not only participate but lead the way.
The event was also an opportunity for different speakers to discuss leveraging next-level ESG where investors have a key role to play, encompassing a unique opportunity to design companies ahead of the curve, armed with a real desire to be the change. Thus, taking into account that ESG is a costly investment, there is a real need to put in place a system in terms of adequately trained and resourced, cost-effective reporting.
The 8th Africa ESG & 7th AIFAM Forum Mauritius 2022 was organised by MNCapital Group welcoming some 90 guests and speakers from South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Kenya, Botswana, and Mauritius, including asset managers, pension fund administrators, investment consultants, private equity specialists, and insurance companies.
