IFC and SEC to develop green bonds market

International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have announced a partnership to facilitate investments in projects which address climate and environmental issues through green bonds.

Under the agreement, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will help the SEC

develop guidelines for issuers and investors for green bonds in Ghana.

A joint statement issued in Accra said the introduction of green bonds would give investors opportunities to finance green buildings, clean transportation, renewable energy, sustainable water management, and other climate-friendly projects.

It said Green bonds would support Ghana’s transition to a lower-carbon future as specified in the country’s agreed

contributions under the Paris Agreement.

"IFC’s Green Bond Program, launched in 2010, has helped catalyze the market and unlock investment for private sector projects that support renewable energy and energy efficiency. IFC has issued roughly 170 green bonds in 20 currencies amounting to over $10 billion," it said.

“This partnership will enable the SEC to tap into IFC’s deep knowledge and develop a comprehensive reference guide appropriate for the Ghanaian market,” Mr Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, Director-General of SEC, said.

“Finding new avenues for green financing is a key priority for IFC. Our partnership with the SEC to design the framework for green bonds in Ghana will, in turn, help Ghana achieve its climate goals with projects that create jobs and spur economic growth,” Ronke Ogunsulire, IFC’s Country Manager for Ghana, said.

The development of green bonds guidelines for Ghana is an initiative of IFC’s Green Bond Market Development Programme, supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the Swedish international Development Cooperation Agency and the Luxemburg government.

IFC has played a leading role in developing guidelines for the green bond market globally.

In Africa, it has assisted Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Tunisia, the West African Economic and Monetary Union, and the

Economic Community of Central African States.