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MCDF, together with the Egyptian Ministry of Finance and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), will host a seminar during the AIIB Annual Meeting 2023 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt and online, to discuss trends and priorities for achieving high-quality and sustainable cross-border connectivity infrastructure. It will also spotlight innovations and experiences among large financiers and developing countries on mobilizing finance for associated projects.

Featuring high-level officials from International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and emerging market and developing country governments, the seminar will consider the importance of cross-border infrastructure for economic prosperity and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. As highlighted in the AIIB report Sustaining Global Value Chains, Global Value Chains (GVCs) are critical for developing and emerging economies to connect to global production and innovation ecosystems. Trade and GVCs fundamentally depend on cross-border infrastructure.

The seminar will also take into account the period of change facing cross-border infrastructure. This includes how new products, new production technologies, and new distribution and logistics technologies, such as digital platforms, are positively transforming trade and GVCs, as described in The World Bank’s Trading for Development in the Age of Global Value Chains.

Many other global trends are affecting, and are being affected by, cross-border infrastructure, which provide additional context for the seminar discussions. For example, energy transition requires smarter transmission lines and grids connecting renewable sources with consumers, sometimes located across borders. Climate shocks are increasing the need for more resilient infrastructure to reduce the impacts on GVCs and logistics.

Financing needs to rapidly expand cross-border infrastructure are enormous. Regional and global cooperation is essential to mobilize these financing levels. Public and private cooperation, innovative financing instruments, and new partnerships must be part of the solution, as the seminar will highlight.

Audience:

On-site participants will consist of AIIB Annual Meeting delegates from AIIB’s 106 member countries, other invitees from IFIs, emerging market and developing country governments, and the private sector, and registered media for the AIIB Annual Meeting. The event will also be open to interested members of the public via live stream.

PROGRAM:

3:30–4:45 PM (GMT+2)

Welcome remarks:

• H.E. Dr. Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance and AIIB Governor, Egypt
• Mr. Liqun Jin, President, AIIB
• Mr. Zhongjing Wang, CEO, MCDF

Panel Discussion:

Moderator: Mr. Ede Ijjasz, Senior Advisor to CEO, MCDF

Panelists:

• H.E. Ms. Tatiana Rosito, Deputy Minister of Finance for International Relations and AIIB Governor, Brazil
• Mr. Solomon Quaynor, Vice President, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation, African Development Bank
• Mr. Shixin Chen, Vice President for South, Central and West Asia, Asian Development Bank
• Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, Board Member and Executive Director, Financial Services, Africa Finance Corporation
• H.E. Mr. Zhijun Cheng, Director General of the International Financial and Economic Cooperation Department, Ministry of Finance, China and AIIB Director

Wrap-up: by the Moderator

Partners:

Concept Note:

Cross-border Infrastructure: Future Trends and Finance Mobilization