FiCS 2025: EDFI co-host with GSG Impact event in Cape Town
Meaningful dialogue and innovation sharing during session aimed at helping attain SDGs.
Power of partnerships: Unlocking private capital for SMEs and the potential of The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4)
CAPE TOWN, 25 February 2025 — Global development finance exports convened today to explore the critical role of partnerships in mobilizing private capital to address the financing gap for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). Bringing together global development finance leaders, private investors, and policymakers, the discussion will center on actionable strategies to strengthen SMEs’ access to finance.
Participants also collaborated on advocacy priorities to influence the outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) and discuss next steps to translate principles into impactful action.
The session aimed to foster meaningful dialogue, share innovative solutions, and align diverse stakeholder efforts to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).
EDFI at FiCS 2025
EDFI was well present in Cape Town during the week to share how EDFIs form a bridge to help boost market creation and mobilising capital to address a shortfall in bankable investment prospects and a widening SDG financing gap.
Finance in Common Summit brings the development finance community in full force to South Africa where the EDFI community took part in two other side events:
‘Team Europe in Action for Sustainable Growth and Market Creation’ on Thursday, 27 February from 17:30 to 19:00 with partners FMO – Dutch entrepreneurial development bank, JEFIC, European Investment Bank (EIB) and Practitioners’ Network for European Development Cooperation. EDFI CEO David Kuijper also spoke on Friday, 28 Feb from 12:15 to 13:45 at special session ‘Unlocking Public Development Banks’ Potential for an Ambitious FfD4 Outcome” hosted by the Finance in Common Secretariat.
EDFI expressed heartfelt thanks to Rémy Rioux, Boitumelo Mosako and Jin Liqun for their visionary leadership and for co-hosting Finance in Common FiCS as a global effort to unite the entire development finance community. Their dedication to mobilising the private sector at scale brought the development finance community together under one umbrella for this crucial and timely gathering.
Joining CEO David Kuijper from the EDFI Secretariat at FiCS was Alina Orrico and Katrin Lueke.
European DFIs on site included: Proparco from France, FMO of the Netherlands, British International Investment, Norway’s Norfund, and CDP – Cassa Depositi e Prestiti of Italy.
