Women: Agents of the post-2015 agenda · Women’s empowerment: A watershed moment 2 SPECIAL FEATURE Women: Agents of the post-2015 agenda 4 Female literacy as a tool for lifelong

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The girl who dreamed of school

Ministerial Council meets in Vienna

OFID sets up landmark agreement with Argentina

Why local currency matters for development

Women: Agents of the post-2015 agenda

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COMMENT

Women’s empowerment: A watershed moment 2

SPECIAL FEATURE

Women: Agents of the post-2015 agenda 4

Female literacy as a tool for lifelong development 10

Yes, women can have it all Interview with Ismahane Elouafi of ICBA 14

The girl who dreamed of school Interview with K. Ntaiya, 2014 Annual Award winner 17

Hail the OFID sisterhood! 20

OFID in the Field 24

Thriving opportunities for Bolivian women 26

Empowering girls and women for a better life 28

Well-connected through empowered women 30

NEWSROUND

Ministerial Council holds 36th Session 32

Annual Award looks to a world without children’s cancer 40

OFID announces 2015 scholars 42

Annual Report 2014 highlights record-breaking year 44

Official visit to Jordan underscores importance of education 46

Fueling Kenya’s growth 48

OFID sets up landmark agreement with Argentina 50

OFID Diary 52

Meetings attended by OFID 55

151st Governing Board photo gallery 56

Loan signature photo gallery 58

SPOTLIGHT

The day the earth shook 60

PUBLISHERS

THE OPEC FUND FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (OFID)

Parkring 8, P.O. Box 995, A-1010 Vienna, AustriaTel: (+43-1) 515 64-0; Fax: (+43-1) 513 92-38Email: [email protected] Deyaa Alkhateeb

EDITOR Audrey Haylins

CONTRIBUTORS Reem Aljarbou, Mohammad Al-Sheha, Namat Abu Al-Soof, Nadia Benamara, Damelys Delgado, Fatma Elzahra Elshhati, Faris Hasan, Souhad Khriesat, Steve Hughes, Nastaran Sharif, Nicholas Smith, Arya Gunawan Usis, Justine Würtz

PHOTOGRAPHS Abdullah Alipour Jeddi, Carlos Opitz(unless otherwise credited)

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COVER PHOTOS: MALALA PRESS OFFICE, PRASIT RODPHAN/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, JULIANA THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY, OFID, IFAD/G M B AKASH, KAKENYA CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE, 1000 WORDS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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JULY 2015

PERSPECTIVES

Why local currency matters for development 63

CONFERENCE WATCH

SE4ALL conference kicks off pivotal year in sustainable development 65

Lighting the way toward inclusiveenergy development 68

MEMBER STATES FOCUS

Nigeria enacts landmark human rights legislation 71

Algeria set to launch UN Institute for Sustainable Development 72

Urban disaster preparedness: Iran rises to the challenge 72

OPEC

6th OPEC International Energy Seminar 73

omen represent more than one-half of humanity. They are the bearers and raisersof children, the caregivers, homemakers

and workers. Yet, because of persistent gender inequalities, overwhelming numbers of the femalerace remain socially, economically and politicallydisenfranchised.

Granted, the imbalance is not as marked as fifteenyears ago. Thanks to the MDGs and their pledge to“promote gender equality and empower women,” impor-tant progress has been made, particularly with re-gard to life expectancy, school enrolments and laborforce participation. However, these accomplish-ments cannot hide the fact that significant and stub-born disparities remain.

One of the greatest successes of the MDGs, for in-stance, is global parity in primary education. But,even this achievement has its shortcomings: severalcountries still trail in the equality stakes, while girlscontinue to account for the majority of the 58 mil-lion children not attending school.

Similarly, the 45 percent reduction in maternaldeaths since 1990 is to be celebrated. But it is over-shadowed by the 289,000 women who died in devel-oping countries in 2013 from complications ofpregnancy and childbirth. This was 14 times higherthan in developed regions.

2 OFID QUARTERLY JULY 2015

COMMENT

Women’s empowerment: A watershed moment W

In the workplace, women are still the objects of dis-crimination and exploitation. They are more likelythan men to be found in the informal sector, wherethere is little job security and no social benefits. Andthey earn only a tenth of the income of men.

Women are also disadvantaged in other areas. Theybear the brunt of water and energy access challenges,both of which compromise health and stop girlsfrom going to school. They own just one percent ofthe means of production, and they are widely excluded from positions of authority and influence,whether in the community, the workplace or in government.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of such en-trenched gender inequality is the fact that, given theopportunity, women have the potential to be a for-midable driving force for poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

The World Bank has described investment in womenas “smart economics,” stating that productivity perworker could soar by up to 40 percent, if all forms of discrimination against female workers were eliminated.

In a similar vein, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that giving womenfarmers equal access to productive resources couldresult in yield increases of up to 30 percent.

Earning potential, however, is just one part of theequation. As soon as women have a regular income,they become socially as well as economically empow-ered, enjoying greater autonomy and increased bargaining power within the household. What’smore—and as borne out by studies—when womenhave access to money, they spend it on their children.

At OFID, we consider gender equality and women’sempowerment to be a crucial development objectivein its own right, as well as a basic human right. In women and girls, we see the primary guardians offuture generations; the catalysts for truly transforma-tional economic, social and environmental change.Which is why, in all our operations, we take a gen-der-sensitive approach wherever possible, with theaim of helping women and girls overcome the manyhurdles that bind them to a life without opportunityor voice.

And we don’t just preach equality; we practice it as well, with 96 women—several of them in senior positions—in our staff complement of 188.

As we look beyond the MDGs to the new SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs), OFID fully supports theinclusion of a goal dedicated exclusively to womenand girls. We applaud the stronger language ofSDG5, which unambiguously pledges to “achieve”rather than just to “promote” gender equality andwomen’s rights. And we commend the explicitnessof the sub-goals, which address issues such as vio-lence against women, harmful cultural practices, andunpaid care and domestic work.

But above all, we welcome the consensus thatwomen have a pivotal role to play across the entirepost-2015 agenda; that the aspirations of the agendajust aren’t achievable without recognizing the needsand rights of the greater part of the human race.

Through the SDGs we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to root out the deep-seated causes of discrimination once and for all and stop their repro-duction across generations. If the SDGs achievenothing else, this in itself would be one of the great-est watersheds of the twenty-first century. �

OFID QUARTERLY JULY 2015 3

4 PHOTO: MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

SPECIAL FEATURE

Women: Agents of the post-2015 agenda

There is widely accepted evidencethat closing the gender gap and ensuring that the human rights ofwomen are respected will contributeto higher economic growth and better living standards. Here, theQuarterly examines the critical role of women in the post-2015 development agenda.

by Steve Hughes

5


SPECIAL FEATURE

ender equality is more than a matter of social justice—it is a fundamental human

right. But equality between men and women alsomakes sense from many other perspectives.

Empowering women has been central toachieving the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). In the 2014 MDGs Report, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writesthat the MDGs “have made a profound differ-ence in people’s lives.” MDG3: Promote genderequality and empower women has supportedprogress toward equality in terms of life ex-pectancy, school enrolments and labor force par-ticipation.

Some of the statistics are encouraging. InSouthern Asia, for example, only 74 girls were enroled in primary school for every 100 boys in1990. By 2012, the enrolment ratios were thesame for girls and boys. By a similar token, in 46countries around the world, women now holdmore than 30 percent of seats in national parlia-ment in at least one chamber. The MDG target ofhalving the proportion of people without sus-tainable access to safe drinking water has beenachieved five years ahead of schedule, releasingmillions of women from the daily drudgery offinding and fetching water to satisfy householdneeds.

However, it seems that for every positive,there is at least one negative. In sub-SaharanAfrica, Oceania and Western Asia, for example,girls still face barriers to entering both primaryand secondary school. Similarly depressing is theevidence that shows women in Northern Africahold less than one in five paid jobs in the non-agricultural sector. The 45 percent reduction inmaternal deaths since 1990—as reported by theWorld Health Organization—is overshadowed bythe fact that an estimated 289,000 women diedin 2013 due to complications of pregnancy andchildbirth. That year, the maternal mortality ratein developing regions was 14 times higher than indeveloped regions.

Post-2015: the road aheadLooking beyond the MDGs to the post-2015 de-velopment landscape, Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs) will serve as the core framework.Today, the good news is that the internationalconsensus on the need for achieving genderequality seems stronger than ever.

Goal five of the planned SDGs relates specif-ically to women: Achieve gender equality and em-power all women and girls. Its sub-goals are explicit,and include targets such as: “recognize and valueunpaid care and domestic work through the pro-vision of public services, infrastructure and socialprotection policies and the promotion of shared

10 PRIORITIES FOR PUBLIC ACTION

GENERATE EVIDENCE TOASSESS PROGRESS ON WOMEN’SECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS

USE HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS TO SHAPE POLICIES AND CATALYSE CHANGE

STRENGTHEN WOMEN’S INCOME SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE

SUPPORT WOMEN’S ORGANIZATIONS TO CLAIM RIGHTS AND SHAPE POLICY AGENDAS AT ALL LEVELS

MAXIMIZE RESOURCES FORTHE ACHIEVEMENT OFSUBSTANTIVE EQUALITY

RECOGNIZE, REDUCEAND REDISTRIBUTE UNPAIDCARE AND DOMESTIC WORK

INVEST IN GENDER-RESPONSIVE SOCIAL SERVICES

CREATE AN ENABLING GLOBALENVIRONMENT FOR THE

REALIZATION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS

CREATE MORE AND BETTER JOBS FOR WOMEN

REDUCE OCCUPATIONALSEGREGATION ANDGENDER PAY GAPS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

G

SOURCE: UN Women Report “Progress of the world’s women 2015–2016”


SPECIAL FEATURE

responsibility within the household and the fam-ily as nationally appropriate.”

Similarly encouraging is the UN Secretary-General’s report The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protect-ing the Planet, which identifies six ‘essential ele-ments’ for delivering the SDGs. The very first is‘People—to ensure healthy lives, knowledge andthe inclusion of women and children’. The reportstates that while “we have made importantprogress in recent years, addressing gender in-equality and realizing women’s rights remains akey challenge in all regions of the world.”

There is now a definite road map for the future. But how far have we come, and how far dowe still have to go?

Women, work and economic empowermentWork promotes equality for women, so long as it’sof the ‘right’ type. Work for women (and men)needs to be compatible with any unpaid care responsibilities, time for leisure and learning, andprovide earnings to maintain an adequate stan-dard of living. Both sexes must also be treatedwith respect and dignity at work. In TransformingEconomies, Realizing Rights: An Agenda for Action,the UN Women organization argues that thistype of employment remains scarce. The vast majority of women still work in insecure, infor-mal employment.

Measures are also needed—and goal five ofthe proposed SDGs may in time help with this—to challenge the devaluation of ‘women’s work’that leads to pay inequality and gender stereotyp-ing. UN Women argues that labor rights and so-cial protection should cover those in informalemployment, while investments in basic infra-structure—such as safe, secure vending spaces in

The World Bank Group (WBG) recently announced that it is preparing a new gender strategy for f inancial years 2016–2021. In its concept note, the WBG statesthat gender equality is central to poverty reduction and inclusive growth.

WBG President Jim Yong Kim, is quoted as saying:

“When countries value girls and women as much as boys and men; when they invest in their health, education, and skills training; when they give women greateroppor tunities to par ticipate in the economy, manage incomes, own and run businesses—the benef its extend far beyond individual girls and women to theirchildren and families, to their communities, to societies and economies at large.”

cities—and efforts to increase rural women’s ac-cess to markets are also required. Opportunitiesfor women, it argues, are also limited by genderstereotypes and discriminatory practices.

Investing in women’s economic empower-ment is vital to end poverty and promote inclu-sive economic growth. The World Bank, whichhas recently announced that it is preparing a newgender strategy (see box), says productivity perworker could soar by up to 40 percent by elimi-nating all forms of discrimination against femaleworkers and managers.

A regular income can help women becomesocially as well as economically empowered.UNICEF argues, for example, that women’s statusand bargaining power is important to decision-making within the household. This influenceshow resources are channeled to children both interms of nutrition and health. Secondly, women’sability to access and control the use of resourcesfor their own health and wellbeing impacts sig-nificantly on their children’s survival, health andnutrition.

Women, agriculture and food securityAn important employer of women—and as such,a potential economic and social empowerer—isthe agricultural sector. According to the FAO, onaverage, women comprise 43 percent of the agri-cultural labor force in developing countries. Thisfigure ranges from around 20 percent in LatinAmerica to 50 percent in parts of Africa and Asia,and exceeds 60 percent in a few countries.

Women have the potential to contributeproduction gains that could make a significantdifference to the millions of people that remainhungry. But the FAO’s website shows thatwomen in agriculture and rural areas still �

Banking on equality

“Closing the gender gapin agriculture would

generate significant gainsfor the agriculture sectorand for society. If women

had the same access toproductive resources as

men, they could increaseyields on their farms by

20–30 percent.”

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United

Nations (FAO)

Stat shot


SPECIAL FEATURE

� have one thing in common across various regions: they have less access than men to pro-ductive resources and opportunities. This, theFAO warns, imposes costs not only on women,but on society as a whole.

Women, energy, health and the environmentJust as a lack of access to productive resourcesthwarts women’s opportunities in agriculture,without access to affordable and reliable energy,women can be over-burdened by time-consum-ing chores. Fetching water and fuel, and cookingpractices that are threatening to health, are sig-nificant obstacles to empowerment. Modern en-ergy solutions help them use their time far moreproductively, by taking up paid employment, forexample, or engaging in other income-generatingactivities. It also gives them more time to raiseand care for children.

Energy is also crucial to healthcare, espe-cially during pregnancy and childbirth. Withoutelectricity, rural clinics are hardly able to providebasic antenatal care, let alone deal with emergen-cies. The issue is recognized by the UN Decade ofSustainable Energy for All (2014–2024), whichchose women and children’s health as the focusof its first, two years.

In line with this, women’s traditional re-sponsibilities as water and fuel gatherers (andfood growers) mean they are more likely to be affected by environmental change than men. TheUNDP argues that poor women are dispropor-tionately impacted by increasingly longerdroughts, more severe storms and flooding,species depletion, soil degradation, deforestationand other negative environmental changes.

Over 65% of the people living inpoverty worldwide are female.

Women comprise more than 50%of the global population but ownonly 1% of the world’s wealth.

Women receive just 5% of the agri-cultural extension resources of men.

Women produce 60–80% of the household food supply in most developing countries.

58% of healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa have no electricity.

In developing regions, only 50%of all pregnant women receive the recommended amount of antenatalcare.

In sub-Saharan Africa, 71% of theburden of collecting water for house-holds falls on women and girls.

Every hour, 50 young women arenewly infected with HIV.

Globally, only 1 in 5 parliamentariansis female.

Sources: FAO, ILO, UN, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO

“Women in sub-Saharan Africa

spend 40 billion hoursper year collecting water.

This is equivalent to a year’s worth of labor by

the entire workforce in France.”

United Nations Development Program

(UNDP)

Unadjusted gender pay gap, percentage by geographic region Globally, women earn on average 24 percent less than men, with variation across regions

24

Global South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa

Developed Regions

Central and Eastern Europe

and Central Asia

East Asia and the Pacific

Latin America and the

Caribbean

Middle East and North

Africa

14192022233033

SOURCE: UN Women Report “Progress of the world’s women 2015–2016”


However, because of their centuries-old knowl-edge of land management principles, women arecritical to finding local solutions to environmen-tal challenges. The voices of women should beheard loud and clear when it comes to planningenvironmental policies, programs and finance.Moreover, these should be designed to supportmen and women in the face of more severeweather patterns and other environmental chal-lenges.

Actions speak louder than wordsAs we look beyond the MDGs to the post-2015 development agenda, focusing on gender equalityand women’s rights as a stand-alone sustainabledevelopment goal is a must. Narrowing gendergaps and ensuring they do not pass onto the nextgeneration requires action to tackle the causes, in-cluding the social, behavioral and cultural normsthat limit women’s empowerment.

Thankfully, the post-2015 development frame-work appears to offer a unique opportunity tobuild on the achievements of the MDGs and dojust this. As we have seen, gender equality andwomen’s rights feature as stand-alone targets inthe SDGs, and there is widespread consensus thatpromoting the needs, rights and role of women iscentral to achieving the other objectives. Put sim-ply, the existing framework and will (political andotherwise) seem to suggest we may see significantprogress during the next fifteen years. But as weall know, actions speak louder than words. �

Steve Hughes is a journalist andcopywriter based in the UK. His back-ground is in economics and f inancialjournalism, but he has also spent timewriting for press off ices and internalcommunications departments. He wasan editor and speechwriter with OPECbetween 2008 and 2012, but nowworks on a freelance basis.

Members of a female community organizationin Pakistan meet to discuss how best to use the financial resourcesthey have collected.

PHOTO: IFAD/ASAD ZAIDI

SPECIAL FEATURE


Female literacy as a tool for lifelong developmentDespite numerous international and regional legal instruments in support of the right to education, over half a billion women globally areunable to read or write. Here, the Quarterly examines the root causes ofthis gap, its impact on development, and asks what needs to be donefor female literacy to become the norm, rather than the exception.

by Nastaran Sharif

“In many poor countries, the greatestunexploited resource isn’t oil fields … it is the women and girls who are noteducated and never become a majorpresence in the formal economy.”

Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, authors of “Half the Sky”

PHOTO: ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES


SPECIAL FEATURE

iteracy is not a privilege; it is a recognizedright, inherent in the right to education, as

embedded in the 1948 Universal Declaration ofHuman Rights. This right has since been reaf-firmed in numerous instruments that have trans-formed moral commitments into solid legalobligations. These legal obligations are backed upby key global political commitments.

Fifteen years ago, at the UN World Educa-tion Forum in Dakar, Senegal, 164 governmentspledged to achieve education for all by 2015. Theywere joined by development agencies, civil soci-ety and the private sector. Goal 3 of the interna-tionally agreed Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), undertook to “promote gender equalityand empower women.”

Today, in the final months before the MDGtarget-date, the results are mixed. While progresshas been encouraging, evidence shows that thereare still wide gaps within and between countries.According to UNICEF, girls still account for 55percent of the out-of-school population in 2015,and there remains an urgent need for ongoing investment in female capacity building. Femaleilliteracy remains among the greatest plagues affecting humanity today.

Considering that we are talking about abasic human right, this situation is hard to under-stand. Even more so, considering the socioeco-nomic implications. As the World Bank pointsout: investing in women is “smart economics.”Failure to do so is to disregard the potential of asignificant part of the human race to contributeto development.

Overturning the status quoThough the understanding of literacy varies, UNESCO defines a literate person as “someonewho can both read and write and understand ashort, simple statement on his or her everydaylife.” According to a study by the UN specializedagency UN Women, nearly one-fifth of the world’spopulation is illiterate. Of some 876 million illiter-ate adults, almost two-thirds are women.

Several factors—ranging from static genderroles and institutional or economic agendas tosimple unawareness of the benefits of female lit-eracy—contribute to this high number.

In many cultures, female education is con-sidered impractical. Parents do not see the benefitof educating girls, as the prospect of marriage re-moves the need for self-attainment. The view per-sists that it is more beneficial to educate a malechild, as he will remain in the family as a provider.

Another factor working against girls is thecost of education, which despite some progress isstill not free in many developing countries. Manypoor families do not send their daughters to

school because they cannot afford to do so. Oth-ers fear threats of violence, which the girls mayface on their long journey to school and back.

Dr Lilly Sucharipa, president of the Austriannational committee of UN Women, says that achange in approach is needed. “Although theMDGs brought quite some progress, it is notenough. Women’s empowerment and genderequality can only be reached if women can bene-fit from their right to education on an equal basisand on all levels,” she told the Quarterly.

Women hold half the skyIn a globalized world that revolves around the acquisition and application of knowledge, liter-acy is the passport to a better quality of life. It is a right in itself, but it also allows the pursuit of other human rights. The ability to obtain �

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATHEducated mothers are less likely to die in childbirth

Mothers dying in childbirth now

If all women completed primary

education

1

Globally

66%reduction

mothers dying in childbirth after

primary education, saving 189,000

women’s lives

mothers dying in childbirth now

287,000 98,000

210deaths per

100,000live births

71deaths

L

Source: UNESCO EFA Global Monitoring Report 2013/2014


� knowledge is inevitably linked to a woman’sright to self-determination and to the health andwellbeing of her family.

Amartya Sen, author of the book “Develop-ment and Freedom,” touches upon this issue andexplains the positive impact literacy has, for in-stance, on under-five mortality. Sen presentscompelling arguments: with greater exposure toinformation on the symptoms of disease, a liter-ate woman is more likely to apply precautionarymeasures to avoid getting ill. Likewise, under-standing the available information on treatmentscreates a higher incentive for women to seek outhealthcare for themselves and their children.

Even if the humanitarian argument fails,economic rationale does not. Numerous studiesfrom development agencies as well the privatesector confirm that the challenges of economicgrowth, job creation and inclusion are closely in-tertwined.

Countries and individuals without access toeducation bypass the knowledge necessary to develop and are predestined to fall further be-hind. Curbing the potential of women to fully en-gage in their community not only reduces theirsocial value but also their potential to become asource of economic growth. In Kenya, for exam-ple, women own 90 percent of micro and homeenterprises but receive only 10 percent of avail-able credit.

A study by Goldman Sachs reveals the po-tential economic impact of female education onthe BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, China, SouthAfrica) and the Next Eleven (N-11) rapidly grow-ing economics. According to the research, greaterinvestment in female education could raise GDPgrowth by about 0.2 percent per year. An increasein female literacy rates, as a result of a decreasedgender gap, could push national income percapita as much as 14 percent higher than thefirm’s baseline projections by 2020, and as muchas 20 percent higher by 2030.

The bottom-up approach of the World Bankprovides further insight: each additional yearspent at primary school may increase a woman’sincome by between 15 and 25 percent. The in-come of a man would only increase by up to 5 per-cent. Moreover, there is a direct correlationbetween the growth of net enrolment of girls insecondary school and a country’s GNI per capita.Although women invest on average 90 percent oftheir income back into their families, only twocents of every one US dollar of international de-velopment assistance are targeted at girls.

EDUCATION KEEPS HUNGER AWAYMothers’ education improves children’s nutrition

46 million

44.3 million

1.7 million childrensaved from

stunting

4%If all mothers had primary education

26%If all mothers had

secondary education

Reduction in stunting in low income countries:

Stunted children*in low income countries

11.9 million children

saved from

stunting

34.1 million

*Stunting is a manifestation of malnutrition in early childhood.

SPECIAL FEATURE



SPECIAL FEATURE

How to create a normSo where do we go from here? Looking forward,the successor framework to the MDGs, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offers re-newed hope. Drawn up to respond to the remain-ing and new challenges of the post-2015 agenda,the SDGs include Goal 4: “ensure inclusive andequitable quality education … for all.”

A report of the Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe (OSCE) points to genderequality and women’s rights as key to addressingthe unfinished business of the MDGs. The OSCEadvocates a holistic approach to the new agenda,whereby gender-specific objectives are incorpo-rated across other goals.

Dr Manfred Nowak, professor of interna-tional law and human rights at the University ofVienna and former UN special rapporteur on tor-ture, agrees with the OSCE’s assessment: “Femaleliteracy should cut across all elements of theSDGs,” he stated.

Speaking to the Quarterly, Nowak empha-sised that universal female literacy could have a“multiplayer-effect, creating and achieving morewide-reaching targets and acting as a more pow-erful stimulus for empowerment action.”

He noted, however, that although the benefits of female literacy were visible in data collectionand reporting, access to such information wasmeaningless without the political will of states for corresponding action. Such action would have to include steps to change the deep-rooted cultural norms that prevent girls from attendingschool.

“Crucial as international support is,” Nowakstressed, “governments must promote, developand apply national policies and programs. This isthe only way to make use of the vast untapped resource that women represent.” While agreeingwith Nowak, Lilly Sucharipa pointed also to thequestion of the affordability of education. “TheSDGs can only be successful, if the political willexists to boost the education of girls and the necessary financial means are available to enablefamilies to send their daughters to school,” she argued.

Given the humanitarian, economic and societal rationale, one can only hope that theSDGs can succeed where the MDGs failed andthat all girls and women will finally claim literacyas an unassailable legal right. It’s been a long timesince 1948—three generations to be exact. Thetime for change is now. �

EQUAL PAY

WAGE GAPSEducation narrows pay gaps between men and women

Rwanda

Cam

eroonJordan

PakistanArg

entin

aIndo

nesia

Mexico

El Salvad

or

India

Women with secondary education

Women with primary education

1

22

190%

Women’s average wage as %

of men’s

50%

60%

70%

80%



SPECIAL FEATURE

or an Arab woman who has made her markin a male domain—and has a clutch of

awards to prove it—Ismahane Elouafi is delight-fully modest. She may be one of the Islamicworld’s most influential women scientists, butshe is just as proud of her role as a homemakerand mother to two young daughters.

She is on a flying visit to OFID—a foundingpartner of ICBA—to present her new-look organ-ization and explore ways to expand cooperation.When she learns that the July issue of the Quarterly will have women as its main theme, shedoesn’t hesitate to agree to an interview.

We start by talking about her professionalachievements, which she admits are hard won.“Wherever I went, I had to work harder to provemyself, and often not just once, but twice or threetimes,” she says. “Eventually, I made a consciousdecision to stop worrying about what peoplethought of me and just concentrate on my job.”

Dr Elouafi strongly condemns the fact thatworking women are constantly put under the microscope—both in Arab and Western societies—with every aspect of their performance scruti-nized. “This happens not just man to woman butwoman to woman as well and is a culture we sim-ply have to change,” she argues.

“It pains me to say it,” she says with a mockgrimace, “but I have reached where I am todaynot because I’m a woman but in spite of being awoman.”

Ismahane Elouafi, director-general of the Dubai-based International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), is a prominent genetic scientist, an unashamed feminist and an inspiring role model for women everywhere. In this wide-ranging interview, she emphasizes the need for sweeping change to empowerwomen to claim their voice and play an equal role in society.

by Audrey Haylins

Yes,womencan haveit all

F


SPECIAL FEATURE

Education opens doorsMoroccan by birth, Dr Elouafi credits her progres-sive parents—her father was a professor—for in-stilling in her the importance of education,especially in a country where, if you weren’t partof the rich elite, academic qualifications were theonly way to gain influence and make a difference.

“We were six sisters, no brothers, so my dadwas very pro-women. He encouraged us all tohave opinions and to express them, and both heand my mum really pushed us to do well atschool.”

Later, as an undergraduate, the young Isma-hane earned a reputation for being outspokenand was soon a prominent figure in the politicallife of her university. “Both major parties tried torecruit me, but I felt neither had the right view forme. Even at that age, I had a very personal philos-ophy and was determined to stick to it.”

Fast-forward twenty years and this self-assur-ance stood her in good stead when she joinedICBA in 2012.

“I was the first female head of the Centerand much younger than all who had been beforeme, so naturally people were curious. I had thefeeling that they were looking at me and waitingfor a disaster to happen,” she recalls with a smile.

As it turned out, her appointment has beena resounding success, and not just because of herprofessional credentials.

“I was able to become part of the team veryquickly by showing a genuine interest in people’sneeds, challenges and ambitions for the Center.This way I was seen to be listening and caring, instead of just sweeping in and dictating howthings were going to be,” she explains.

Her approach couldn’t have had better results. Through consultations with staff andwith ICBA’s stakeholders, Dr Elouafi has crafted anew vision and mission for the Center and set iton a new, strategic course that addresses theclosely linked challenges of income, water, nutri-tion and food security. And all this in just a cou-ple of years. What’s more, she is using her femaleperspective to incorporate a focus on women.

Women farmers and climate changeIn her field of expertise, Dr Elouafi admits tobeing both sad and angry that although womenare responsible for up to 80 percent of agriculturalproduction in developing countries, it is largelythe men who pocket the profits.

“This is something we have to change, be-cause we know for a fact that putting women incharge of household finances has an impact five

times greater than when men hold the pursestrings. A woman will spend the money on herkids—it’s intuitive.”

She continues: “A woman should know thatif she is cultivating the land, she can sell the pro-duce and use the proceeds for the good of herfamily. We should help her do the economics andtake that responsibility as well. It’s a very culturalthing and extremely difficult to change, but it hasto happen,” she insists.

Through her work at ICBA and experiencegathered in other agricultural research institutes,Dr Elouafi is keenly aware of the need to getwomen farmers on board when it comes to imple-menting strategies for climate change mitigation,adaptation and sustainable development.

Crop diversification, she points out, is thekey to climate change adaptation for farmers inmarginal environments. “But it’s a process thathas to be done slowly, because no one knows theland better than the people who have worked itfor generations. And no one is closer to the landthan women, who live on it day to day and workit through know-how they got from their ances-tors.”

The challenge for organizations like ICBA,she explains, is the social and cultural mores thatrequire her field teams to go through the malehead of household. “We do get to the women inthe end, but usually not until the project is welladvanced.” �

What is ICBA?

“ … I have reached where I am today in spite of being

a woman.”

Ismahane Elouafi

ICBA is a not-for-profit, interna-tional center of excellence for research and development inmarginal environments. It was established in 1999 by the IslamicDevelopment Bank, OFID, theArab Fund for Economic and Social Development and theGovernment of the United ArabEmirates.

The Center has identif ied f ive innovations that form its core research agenda: assessment ofnatural resources; climate changeadaptation; crop productivity and

diversif ication; aquaculture andbioenergy, and policy analysis.ICBA is working on a number oftechnology developments includ-ing the use of conventional andnon-conventional water (such assaline, treated wastewater, indus-trial water and seawater); waterand land management technolo-gies; remote sensing and model-ing for climate change adaptation.

OFID has provided overUS$2.5m in grant f inancing toICBA. These resources helpedsupport the establishment of theCenter, including an irrigation system, and a number of specif icresearch programs.

Plugging the science gender gap� ICBA has found that one way of getting aroundthis is to have more women scientists in the field.Central Asia, where the Center’s predominantlyfemale scientists have developed a close workingrelationship with women farmers is a case inpoint. But this is the exception rather than therule—a status quo that Dr Elouafi is eager to over-turn.

As a first step, she is moving to attract morewomen into agricultural research—and simulta-neously swell the modest cadre of female scien-tists at ICBA—by setting up a fellowship programfor young Arab women scientists. The program,which will target the Middle East and NorthAfrica region, will help develop proficiencyamong women scientists in generating innova-tive solutions for rural stakeholders in marginalenvironments.

“There remain huge gender disparities inmy line of work and in my part of the world,” DrElouafi states with frustration. “Women are bothunderrepresented and underserved and, sincethe Arab Spring, I see that they have disappearedeven more from the scene. So instead of movingforward, we are moving backward.”

In addition to education, which she consid-ers paramount, Dr Elouafi is convinced that reli-gious leaders also have an important role to playin getting women’s empowerment back on track.

“I’ve seen for myself how much influencereligious figures have in many parts of the world,be it Muslim or non-Muslim,” she says. “Bypreaching respect for women, they have thepower to shift norms and conventions and helpdisseminate the message that women need to bepart of the change process.”

That, however, is one battle Dr Elouafi willleave up to others; her hands are full with ICBAand, of course, her family. Which reminds her,she says, glancing at her watch: she has a planeto catch and two little girls eagerly awaiting herreturn home.

Accomplished scientist and leader she maybe, but at the end of the day, Dr Elouafi, Director-General of the International Center for BiosalineAgriculture, is just like every other workingmum. �


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Through ICBA, Dr Elouafi is working to attract more women scientists into agricultural research.

t the age of 12, Kakenya Ntaiya attempted to make a deal with her

father and village elders: to agree to femalecircumcision in exchange for being allowedto go to high school. It was a hard negotia-tion in a culture where education is deemedless valuable than agriculture and pastor-ing, which are central for survival.

As the first born of eight children, Kak-enya shouldered great family responsibili-ties. Already engaged to be married at theage of five, she knew that education was herkey to greater freedom. “Our culture tellsgirls to look down, not to ask questions, andthat at 13 you must leave school and beginlife as a wife and a mother,” she told us.

Kakenya continued her education andwas successful, and renegotiated with her

village elders to do what no Masai girl hadever done: continue her studies in a collegein the United States. Years later, she re-turned home with a doctorate in educationfrom the University of Pittsburgh to foundthe Kakenya Center for Excellence (KCE),an all-girls primary boarding school in hervillage of Enoosean in Kenya’s Masai re-gion.

To realize her dream, Kakenya believedthat KCE should encompass more than justgetting girls to school. It should providethem with an education that would enablethem to become leaders within their com-munity.

The center opened its doors in 2009,with 32 students. Since then, 232 girls ingrades 4–8 have received life-altering edu-

cation and leadership training. As part oftheir community outreach, over 300 girlsfrom 41 other schools have also beentrained through KCE’s leadership campdemonstration programs.

An exceptional impact is that all 26graduates in 2015 were accepted into highschool. This is a remarkable achievement,considering that the majority of girls ad-mitted into first grade do not know how toread and write. Even more impressive, thecenter’s eighth grade students scoredfourth place out of 526 schools in the coun-try’s national exams. Kakenya said: “Par-ents could never have imagined theseresults, but when it happens, they begin tobelieve in our mission.”

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An activist educator, a CNN hero, a National Geographic emerging explorer, named by Newsweek as one of 150 women who shake the world,

and among the most inspiring people delivering for girls and women—Kakenya Ntaiya, recipient of the 2014 OFID Annual Award for Development,welcomed a team from OFID to the center she has built in her Kenyan village

dedicated to educating young Masai girls.

by Reem Aljarbou

The girl who dreamed of school

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� The center focuses on many of the chal-lenges that Kenya faces in girls’ education.For young Masai girls, the principal obsta-cle is the cultural importance of marriage,predominantly at a very early age. Currently,one-quarter of all Kenyan girls younger than15 years are married. At 90 percent, theMasai community has one of the highestrates of child marriage in the world.

“Are you married? Do you have a son?”eighth-grader Evelyn Anhui asked a mem-ber of the all-female OFID team. Kakenyalater explained that the young girls couldnot imagine that a mother could be edu-

cated and have a career at the same time.“They are told that they are only wives andmothers, and that they can never study orhave a career,” Kakenya emphasized.

She continued: “We talk a lot aboutleadership and emphasize building individ-uals. When the girls come to us they arevery shy; we give them confidence to be-lieve in themselves, and to believe in theirdreams and that they can actually achievethem.”

Kakenya’s dedication towards thiscause is evident in the girls’ abilities andtheir attitude towards change. “Kakenya’s

personal experience is an inspiration notonly to the girls in this school, but thewhole country. The girls talk about femalefigures they admire, and many girls see herexample and look up to her” said HillaryOmala, Executive Director of KCE.

He elaborated: “Many of our girls wereraised in communities which assign partic-ular roles for them. Seeing this success, it isbecoming clearer the effect of education onthe girls and how parents view their educa-tion which brings us optimism.”

Beyond reading and writingAlthough Kenya has passed a law prohibit-ing female genital mutilation (FGM), cen-turies-old customs remain strong in remoteand rural villages. Many girls at the schoolreceive intensive legal education abouttheir rights. In addition, Kakenya stronglybelieves that working with the parents andthe community is a critical component forsuccess. “We will never succeed in bringingthe girls whose parents believe that femalegenital mutilation is something theirdaughters should go through, and that the


SPECIAL FEATURE

The team that visited KCE conducted a one-day workshop on sustainable devel-opment for teachers and grade eight students. Several teachers from surroundingschools and members of KCE’s board also attended. The main teaching tool wasOFID’s children’s book, One Planet Earth One People, which introduces the mainthemes of sustainable development.

The interactive educational event set out to introduce the book to variouseducational institutions and to provide these institutions with a workable modelfor teaching key development themes in their classrooms. The highlighted themeswere: the universe, planet Earth, water, food, people (modes of living and means ofproduction), and the environment.

The OFID team solicited feedback from both students and teachers, gainingvaluable insight into cultural variances as well as the subjects that students weremost interested in exploring.

The students were particularly intrigued by contrasts between their lives andenvironment and those of the developed world. “You have never milked a cow?Never killed a goat?” some asked of the team when the subject of agriculture andpastoring was discussed. They were also keen to discuss development challengesfrom their perspective.

Some 200 books were distributed for students at the center and neighboringschools. The workshop was f ilmed with the aim of producing a video toolkit forthe book which OFID can share with various education partners globally.

One Planet Earth One People

ultimate goal for their girls is to be marriedand have children.”

Kakenya advocates that working withthe families and discussing FGM and otherissues allows them to be connected ratherthan simply providing theories. “We don’twant to break families, we want to buildthem. Our goal is to impact one family at atime through one girl,” Kakenya shared.

The family outreach has had addi-tional, unanticipated outcomes. Duringthe visit, the OFID team met some parentsof girls who had attended workshops at thecenter. They shared an inspiring story inwhich they collected US$18,000 to build astudent hall and library. Currently theschool has only classrooms and dormitoryfacilities for both students and teachers.

Following the award from OFID in2014, Kakenya was able to accept 50 addi-tional students into her Center as well asbuild an additional dormitory facility.“Most awards and funding are restricted butOFID’s award was different,” she told us,openly grateful for the unexpected finan-cial boost. �


SPECIAL FEATURE

OFID’s relationship with Gerald Wirth, director of the Vienna Boys Choir(VBC), star ted in 2009 with the launch of the music-based social initiative,‘Superar,’ which was founded jointly by the VBC, OFID and the Vienna Concert House (Wiener Konzerthaus).

Superar operates in inner-city schools to encourage social integration andlearning through participation in choirs and other musical activities. In the spaceof nearly f ive years, the number of schools working with Superar has jumpedto sixteen across Austria, reaching 900 children in Vienna and 225 in the restof the country. Its success has seen it expand across f ive more countries in Europe: Slovakia, Romania, Bosnia, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, reaching afurther 780 children.

Gerald has been at the center of this initiative and offered his personalexpertise on a voluntary basis to accompany the OFID team to KCE andconduct music workshops for both teachers and students. He has conductedsuch workshops in schools worldwide; however, this was his f irst experiencein Africa.

As the director of the world-renowned VBC, Gerald believes that everyperson has music within them. He also understands the links between musicand children’s development and its effect on their educational performance.Having been a student himself at the VBC, he knows f irst-hand how musical influences affect children’s abilities to express, grow and raise theirself-esteem.

As the Masai use traditional dance and song within their agriculturaland pastoral traditions, it is a culture with considerable musical influence.Through Gerald’s workshop, the girls at KCE were able to learn in-depthabout musical notes, and melodies which were new for them. They werealso able to exchange their music with Gerald, and share with him theirwealth of songs, which they performed in the local Swahili language.

Beyond reading and writing

Gerald Wirth, director of the Vienna Boys’ Choir, led an afternoon of musical exchangewith KCE students.

When it comes to gender equality, OFID is immenselyproud of the fact that there is genuine substance to its advocacy. With 96 women in its staff complement of 188, it openly practices what it preaches. Here, the Quarterly pays tribute to the sisterhood that is OFID’s women.

orking women everywhere—whetherin the developing or developed

world—face challenges that are unique totheir gender. Be it discrimination relatingto pay, opportunity or advancement, orsimply the challenge of holding down a jobwhile raising a family and running a home,the lot of the working woman remains astruggle.

“At OFID, gender equality is not just agoal we strive for, but a standard that westrictly maintain,” asserts OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish. “Our fe-male staff are among our greatest assets:they are contributors and facilitators, trueprofessionals and supportive colleagues.”


SPECIAL FEATURE

by Audrey Haylins

Hail the OFID sisterhood!

W

Many OFID women are also working moth-ers and—in some cases—single parents, afact that Mr Al-Herbish, himself a familyman, acknowledges and respects. “I havegreat admiration for all my lady col-leagues,” he says, “for their astounding abil-ity to multitask, for their dedication to theirchildren and to their jobs, for their intelli-gence and humor, and most of all for theiroutstanding contribution—each and everyone of them—to the work and communityof this organization. OFID would be farpoorer without them.”

An Austrian backboneAmong the 21 nationalities represented byOFID’s women, by far the largest numberare Austrians. With their German languageabilities and deep understanding of OFID’shost environment, they are truly the back-bone of the organization.

Barbara Weninger is OFID’s longestserving staff member and remembers join-ing the institution’s Finance department in1979, just three years after OFID’s establish-ment: “I was very young, and for me it wasamazing and very glamorous to work in aninternational organization.”

One of Barbara’s closest colleagues isJutta de la Barra, who has been at the or-ganization since 1981. “Growing up, I al-ways wanted to be social worker,” Juttarecalls. “OFID, with its thousands of socialprojects, helped me fulfil this ambition in a broader sense. I found my inspirationhere,” she says.

Marianne Kirschenhofer has been astalwart of the Administration and Person-

nel department for over 28 years. She isproud to work for what she describes as a“noble” institution. “OFID does so muchfor its partner countries and although Idon’t contribute to that work directly, I doindirectly, and that is a good feeling,” shesays.

Having supported OFID throughenormous growth and development, allthree women are well positioned to com-ment on the changes that have taken place.And all agree that the changes have beenpositive ones. “Nowadays, there are manymore opportunities for everyone to get in-volved,” observes Jutta. For Marianne, thechange with the greatest impact is the“opening up” of the institution. “In the olddays, there was too much focus on internalissues; now we are much more engagedwith the outside world, and I think this is agood thing.”

Creating a community In an organization as culturally diverse asOFID, it is important to find ways to bridgethe inherent differences and foster a senseof ‘family.’ OFID’s social committee, itschoir and football team are just some exam-

ples of the groups organized voluntarily bystaff to serve as a uniting factor. Such activ-ities are also a useful way for new col-leagues—especially those who haverelocated to Austria—to integrate and feelat home.

Nahal Tabatabai-Chury, Rachel BenFtima, and Roberta Vranješ are among theOFID women who dedicate private timeand energy to organizing community activ-ities.

Nahal describes the work as a verygood stress buster, and Rachel agrees,adding: “It’s also about team building.With good spirit in your team you are moreproductive, more creative, and you can de-pend on your colleagues when you needhelp.”

Organizing and participating inevents throughout the year can be strenu-ous, but according to Roberta: “If you loveyour work it comes naturally. If you’re pas-sionate about it, you think: what else can Ido to push toward the same goal?”

Nahal believes women have a naturaledge when it comes to organization. “Ithink as women you have a good feeling formultitasking and time management, andyou can see how to prioritize tasks.” Agree-ing, Rachel says she sees their role as facili-tators as well as organizers. “We have manytalents and brains in the house, and we encourage contributions from everyone.”

Roberta points out how much she val-ues the backing of the institution, a viewshared by Rachel: “We have the supportand appreciation of management and ourcolleagues. This builds self-confidence, andkeeps you going.” �


SPECIAL FEATURE

From left: Marianne Kirschenhofer,

Barbara Weninger, Jutta de la Barra

From left:Nahal Tabatabai-Chury, Rachel Ben Ftima, Roberta Vranješ

Above and beyond� Another group worthy of recognitioncomprises the ladies who regularly work be-yond the confines of their job descriptionsby taking on duties that often require sacri-ficing personal time for the greater good ofthe institution.

As PA to the Director-General, HelenAbu Jurji spends long periods away fromhome and family on duty travel. Rather thanseeing this as a negative, Helen insists that itis the proximity to OFID’s field operationsthat motivates her to go the extra mile.“When you go to partner countries and seethe impact on people’s lives of what you aredoing, and how grateful they are, you havea completely different perspective on the no-tion of personal sacrifice,” she argues.

Justine Würtz, who works in the In-formation department, is a single mum, butthat doesn’t stop her volunteering her serv-ices for evening and weekend functions andevents. “I’m just not very good at sayingno,” she says. “If I see an opportunity, I usu-ally want to engage in it.”

Part of the reason for Justine’s attitudeis her belief that you get out of life what yougive. “In addition to what I gain in terms ofcollegial relationships, I take great personalpride in seeing a job well done and knowingI’ve brought something extra to a project. Ifind that incredibly fulfilling,” she says.

Also working in the office of the Direc-tor-General is Lamia Hamad. She, too, canoften be found in the office on weekends.“My commitment to OFID is simply part ofgiving back to a big-hearted organizationwhich gives and helps with no limit,” shesays. “What I get in return cannot be meas-ured. OFID enables us to live decently andrewards us generously in every way.”

Power in safe handsTwenty years ago, there were only fourwomen in the ‘professional’ staff categoryat OFID. Today, this number has surged toalmost 30. What’s more, three women—and counting—are in senior leadership po-sitions.

Nigerian Violet Onyemenam is theinstitution’s first female general counsel, aposition she has held since 2010. She says:“There is a theoretical glass ceiling thatevery woman sees herself wanting to go be-yond, but at the end of the day you have towork over and beyond.” It is a fact, shestresses, that OFID’s management is stillvery male-dominated, “but as a woman youstill feel welcome, you still feel you can re-late to your colleagues and are respected asa professional.” She adds: “There is stillroom for improvement, and we can expectto see more in the future.”

Another lady to break new ground atOFID is Samira Ouksili, who joined thestaff in January 2014 as the first female inter-nal auditor. As a working mum with a six

year-old daughter, Samira feels stronglyabout the choices women are forced to makein order to succeed in their career. “There isan inherent bias in the workplace focusingon the way we deliver rather than on whatwe deliver,” she argues. “We are equal butnot alike, therefore there should be room formore flexibility to allow women, particularlymothers, to professionally deliver while ful-filling their maternal role.”

Anajulia Taylhardat heads up the op-erational division that handles public sec-tor operations in Latin America, theCaribbean and Europe, and is an exampleof a woman who has worked her way up theorganization since starting in 1992. She be-lieves that women bring special qualities toleadership roles: “They are resilient, perse-verant and good at diplomacy.” Anajuliawelcomes the increased number of profes-sional women at OFID. “What I like aboutthis change is the value that these womenbring to the institution. They have a greatopportunity to contribute to our mandateand excel professionally.”

Thirst for knowledgeAs a matter of policy, OFID seeks to attractand retain the very best people across allfunctions and levels. It also supports em-ployees who wish to undertake advancedstudies that would be advantageous to theexecution of their jobs.

Private sector operations officer Ramina Samii is a case in point. In 2003,Ramina decided to pursue a PhD on theunder-researched field of humanitarian or-ganizations and their supply chains. “Iwanted to challenge myself, push myboundaries, achieve a higher goal,” she ex-plains. And has having a doctorate im-


SPECIAL FEATURE

From left: Samira Ouksili, Violet Onyemenam, Anajulia Taylhardat

From left: Lamia Hamad, Justine Würtz, Helen Abu Jurji

proved her working methods in any way?Definitely, she says: “The whole process ofdoing a PhD contributes significantly tothe way you think and work. After such anexperience, you are better equipped to ad-dress challenging situations that have noclear solution.”

HR professional Ranya Nehmeh com-pleted her doctorate in business with cor-porate social responsibility in 2013. “Therewere definitely elements of self-improve-ment in my decision, and I was keen tostudy an area that I knew little about,” shesays. Ranya admits that it was OFID that in-spired her to research the role of the privatesector in development. “It was a huge chal-lenge, working and studying at the sametime,” she concedes, adding: “You have tobe very self-motivated to do something likethis. It’s not an easy thing; it’s lots of workand years of dedication.”

OFID—and specifically its focus onenergy poverty alleviation—was also the in-spiration behind Iman Alshammari’s de-cision to study for an MBA in energymanagement. Iman, who works as a publicsector operations officer, says: “I love learn-ing new things and expanding my hori-zons. The topic of my MBA seemed anobvious choice given OFID’s prominentrole in fighting energy poverty.” Iman isconvinced that the knowledge she hasgained is already proving invaluable.

New bloodOFID’s staff complement has expanded dra-matically in the last five years to meet thedemands of increased operations. Womenmake up their fair share of the new recruits,which include young and seasoned profes-sionals as well as support staff. They are allalready making their contribution feltacross the organization.

Ilham Al-Ghadamsi joined the pub-lic sector operations team in 2013. Likemany of her female colleagues, she juggleswork and motherhood and firmly believesthat this enables her to bring special skillsto the workplace. “I am a mother, so I’m pa-tient; I always try to think practically,” sheargues. “Rather than using against us thefact that we’re mothers, I think employersshould appreciate our unique qualities.”

Private sector operations officerLuiscela Moreno welcomes the fact thatwomen are filling more roles in society andexpects their participation to become evermore visible. “I see no reason why women

everywhere cannot become equal at everylevel of society,” she says.

Luiscela’s view is shared by Lina Burchardt, who joined OFID’s financeteam two years ago. “In the near future,”she ventures, “it will hopefully become socommon for women to fill the same posi-tions as men that we reach a time where thewhole discussion about gender equality be-comes obsolete.”

For Lyla Berrouka, one of OFID’snewest recruits, the key to women’s equal-ity and empowerment lies in education.She cites the old adage: “When you educatethe man, you educate the man, but whenyou educate the woman, you educate a gen-eration.”

While acknowledging that progress hasbeen made in terms of women’s rights, Nastaran Sharif, one of OFID’s young legalprofessionals, believes that society has tochange the way it views women. “The onlyway we can change perceptions, especiallyin the workplace, is by proving that we havethe same capabilities as men.”

Nadia Benamara, who is in charge ofOFID’s multimedia, takes this position astep further. “Women in leadership posi-tions should be seen as the norm and notan exception,” she argues. “I also think weshouldn’t be afraid to do things differently.I’d like us to feel free to explore that possi-bility and forge our own path, instead ofjust trying to adapt.” �


SPECIAL FEATURE

From left: Ramina Samii, Iman Alshammari, Ranya Nehmeh

From left: Ilham Al-Ghadamsi, Lina Burchardt, Nadia Benamara, Luiscela Moreno, Nastaran Sharif, Lyla Berrouka

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OFID in the Field

OFID considers gender equalityand women’s empowerment to be a crucial development objective in its own right andtakes a gender-sensitive approachto all its operations wherever possible. In the following pages,Damelys Delgado presents threeOFID-supported projects that are helping women and girls toovercome discrimination and become the catalysts for trulytransformational change.

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ccording to UNICEF, poverty in Bolivia isamong the worst in South America, with

the country ranking 113th out of 187 nations inthe UN Human Development Index. About 60percent of Bolivians live below the poverty line, aproportion that rises to three-quarters in ruralareas.

With more than half the population com-prised of indigenous communities, it is easy tounderstand the direct link between ethnicity andpoverty. The International Fund for AgriculturalDevelopment has pointed out that the majorityof Bolivia’s rural women have little access to train-ing, credit or technical assistance.

Because economic growth and job opportu-nities are found in urban rather than in ruralareas, an increasing number of indigenouswomen are leaving the countryside to live incities. They arrive with almost no education, feweconomic resources and a lack of knowledge ofthe urban environment. These circumstances exacerbate social exclusion, covering not just ethnicity but gender as well.

With a long history of social exclusion, job opportunities are scarce for indigenous people and women in Bolivia. But things arechanging. In this report, we highlight an NGOthat is helping women to improve their skillsand employability, and through this, their self-esteem and confidence.

Thriving opportunities for Bolivian women

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PHOTO: HARALD TOEPFER/WWW.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Population: 10.7 million

GNI per capita: US$2,550

Life expectancy: 67

Adult literacy rate: 94%

Primary school enrolment (gross): 91%

Secondary school enrolment (gross): 80% Source: World Bank


OFID IN THE FIELD

effectively doubling the size and enabling atwofold increase in enrolments. Support was alsoprovided for furniture, laboratory equipment andsupplies.

Graciela’s passion for education, and her de-termination to make a difference in the lives ofothers, takes concrete shape once the womenenter the labor market, where their increased income has a substantial impact on improvingthe quality of life for themselves and their families.

Graciela motivates the students with posi-tive reinforcement by saying frequently: “I thinkyou can do it very well,” and, “There is always asolution.” For Graciela it is clear that educatingwomen brings benefits to entire families. Hercommitment goes beyond academic purposes, asfor every woman with a better education pro-vided by CEFIM, there is a family relying on thecertainty of a better life. �

Key indicators: Bolivia

Although Bolivia has shown progress in genderpolicies, there are some barriers that still need to be overcome. In a new and unfamiliar culturalsetting, female migrants remain exposed to diverse forms of abuse, discrimination and violence.

CEFIM (Centro de Formación Integral para laMujer) is a technical institute established 30 yearsago in La Paz to provide practical and theoreticaltraining to any woman with at least four years’ education. Its aim is to empower female migrants,whose inclusion in society is hampered by theirlack of education and skills and minimal sense offamily values.

The institute focuses on the technical train-ing of women in domestic work and gastronomyas well as in tasks related to taking care of the elderly, the sick and children.

The first intake of CEFIM students in 1986consisted of 20 women. In the intervening years,the institute has trained more than 5,000 womenfrom La Paz and El Alto, as well as from outlyingdistricts of La Paz.

Expanding physical space to educate more women OFID supported CEFIM through the Foundationfor the Social Promotion of Culture (FPSC), an international NGO based in Spain and mandatedto help eradicate poverty by encouraging educa-tion and vocational training.

Argentinian teacher, Graciela Volpe, is oneof CEFIM’s founders. She has been an executiveboard member since the institute’s inception andis responsible for the advisory department. Gra-ciela explains that CEFIM’s main strength is thecomprehensive nature of the training received bystudents. “We take into account all the dimen-sions of the person: physical, social, emotionaland rational. Educating in values has importantconsequences for job opportunities. The studentsacquire self-esteem and they act accordingly, withdignity in all circumstances of personal, profes-sional and social life.”

The institute seeks to build a new culturewithin the female community, coherent with thedignity of the people. In this regard, Graciela isconvinced that women are key players in shapingsociety. “Through CEFIM, many Bolivian womenbecome role models, showing the art of beinggood professionals, mothers, wives and daugh-ters; a life fully human, meaningful, and inspir-ing,” she explains.

OFID’s grant contributed to the construc-tion of a 400 sq m extension to the institute, including four workshops, six classrooms, profes-sors’ offices, a library and other related facilities,

Many of the women who complete their training at the center go on to find jobs in the cateringindustry.

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wo-thirds of Sudan’s 35 million people livein rural environments. Poverty continues

to be deeply entrenched due to years of armedconflict that have hindered efforts to improve in-frastructure and living standards. For women, thesituation is particularly dire. With limited accessto agricultural resources and services, all that isavailable to them is low-paid, low-status and sea-sonal work.

In East Sudan, however, this picture of des-titution has turned into hope for women in somevillages of Gadaref state. The catalyst for thistransformation is the NGO Zenab for Women inDevelopment (ZWD). Led by Fatima Ahmed, ZWDfocuses on building local capacity as a means offacilitating development.

Since 2000, ZWD has worked to increaseproductivity, reduce hunger and malnutrition,and improve the livelihoods of rural women.

ZWD began by implementing awareness programsfor HIV/AIDS and female genital mutilation. In2006, it launched a food security program target-ing women farmers in 20 villages in rural Gadaref.OFID provided grant assistance in support of theseimportant efforts in 2010, and again in 2014.These contributions helped empower womenfarmers by providing agricultural advice and mod-ern technologies to boost production.

Recently, ZWD has widened its scopethrough programs aimed at improving educa-tional opportunities—especially for girls frompoor families—halting violence against womenand advocating basic human rights while build-ing leadership for women.

OFID IN THE FIELD

In Sudan, a local NGO is working tirelessly for genderequality and social justice through education and capacitybuilding. Its main purpose is to become a real partner forpeace and the development of women.

Empowering girls andwomen for a better life

Population: 38 million

GNI per capita: US$1,550

Life expectancy: 62


Primary school enrolment (gross): 70%

Secondary school enrolment (gross): 41% Source: World Bank

Key indicators: Sudan

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An OFID grant helped to empower women farmers byproviding advice and modern technologies to boost pro-duction.


Who leads ZWD?Fatima Ahmed holds a Master’s in Plant Physi-ology from a joint program at Sudan’s Univer-sity of Gezira and the International Center forAgricultural Research in Dry Areas. She is alsothe mother of two, and the daughter of two visionary people, who taught her the value ofcompassion for the most vulnerable.

In the current global discussion of genderequality, we can only imagine the disparities inthis regard in Sudan in 1940, the year in whichZenab Mohamed Nour Rahama, Fatima’smother, started to work for the right of girls toreceive an education. With the support ofMustafa Ahmed Sammahin, her husband, thisfight continued for 47 years.

In 2005, because of her achievements, theNGO Peace Women across the Globe includedZenab in the list of 1,000 women who havemade significant contributions to world peaceto be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Fatima has honored the teaching of herparents through her own tireless work at ZWD,benefiting thousands, and sharing with theglobal arena this NGO as a success story,through diverse UN agencies and internationalforums. The following answers to our queriesshow her passion and commitment to improv-ing the standard of living for everyone. If morepeople had this kind of ambition for their ownsocieties, the world would be a better place.

OQ: What do you think has been your greatestachievement?

FA: The difference I have been able to make inthe lives of many people around me. At a per-sonal level, I have sponsored many girls andboys from poor families, several of them my rel-atives, supporting their education through uni-versity and, today, seven of the girls havegraduated in different specializations, includingmedicine.

At the organization level, I have made a dif-ference in the lives of thousands of girls bybuilding five primary schools, providing thema chance to get their basic primary educationand to obtain gender equality and empower-ment.

Through ZWD, we have empowered thou-sands of women economically and raised aware-ness on all issues related to women, includinglegal and human rights, general and reproduc-tive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and earlymarriage. This guidance is reflected in the well-being of their families as they are raised out ofpoverty and achieve food security. Today, manyof those women are leaders in their communi-

ties. I am proud of these results and pray to findways to accomplish more.

OQ: What is your greatest fear?

FA: To be unable to continue to help people. Be-cause the resources are lacking, I cannot domore at present to satisfy the many requestsfrom different communities that need help.

OQ: What is your personal goal in life?

FA: To bring peace to my family, my communityand my country. �

OFID IN THE FIELD

The five primary schoolsbuilt by ZWD have enabled thousands of girlsto get a basic education.

OFID IN THE FIELD


he terms MMS (multimedia messagingservice), SMS (short message service),

GPRS/EDGE-based data services and voicemailmay not be sufficiently understood by much ofthe population. But it is these features of modernmobile telephony that have opened a wide door,not just for global communication, but also foreconomic development worldwide.

In rural Bangladesh, home to 75 percent ofits 154 million people, the abbreviations make nodifference, but connectivity does. This is espe-cially relevant in a country with one of the mostoutdated telecommunication systems and just 0.7percent of its population connected to a land line.

Given the fixed line situation, mobile sub-scriber growth rates in Bangladesh are among thehighest in the region—and this despite it beingone of the poorest countries in the world, with

around 47 million people living on less thanUS$1.25 a day.

Globally, mobile technology has evolvedfrom being an expensive item used solely by thebusiness elite in the 1980s, to an essential gadgetfor the general population. Nowadays, the indus-try offers staggering numbers: 5.2 billion handsetsin use worldwide; 6.7 billion mobile subscriptions;4.3 billion unique users; US$11.4 billion spent onadvertising; US$25 billion generated by mobile ap-plications; and 1.8 billion phones sold in 2013,with an absolute starring role for smartphones,which for the first time exceeded one billion unitssold in one year.

This unstoppable trend has been extensivelyevaluated. According to the Global Media Intelli-gence Report—responsible also for the figuresgiven above—nearly 2.5 billion of the world’s

Well-connected throughempowered women

The advent of mobile technology has changed the digital landscapeworldwide. In rural Bangladesh, where poverty is widespread, it has now become easier to maintain contact and keep informedthrough mobile phones. A program launched by Grameenphoneand managed by impoverished women has made the difference.

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OFID IN THE FIELD

4.3 billion mobile phone users live in Asia. MostAsian economies have alleviated aspects ofpoverty, but the extreme poverty rate of 20 percentstill persists in a few economies with large popula-tions, such as Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.

A win-win relationshipAs mobile technology has continued to grow andexpand worldwide, it has also played an impor-tant role in rural Bangladesh. The leading providerin the country is Grameenphone, with a 41 per-cent market share of more than 36 million sub-scribers. One of its stakeholders is GrameenTelecom (GTC), a not-for-profit company, owning34.2 percent of the shares. Both companies are related to the Grameen Bank, a microfinance organization and community development bank founded in Bangladesh by Nobel Peace Lau-reate and OFID Annual Award winner ProfessorMuhammad Yunus.

In 1997, the three above-mentionedGrameen organizations launched the VillagePhone Program (VPP). Women work as self-em-ployed pay phone operators, providing telephoneservices in rural areas, where such facilities werepreviously limited or even non-existent. Typically,a woman gets a loan from Grameen Bank—whichdoes not require collateral—and buys a handsetand a mobile subscription. Once she is trained tooperate it, she is able to charge users for her serviceand earn money in her community.

It seems straightforward. However, the VPPhas changed the lives of many women who werepreviously completely without an income. ByMay 2015, the VPP had reached more than 83,000villages and more than one million telephoneladies had used micro-credit to set themselves up

in business and connect the poor to a wider soci-ety. The model not only empowered poor women,but also empowered the village people, by provid-ing them, for example, with information aboutmarket prices to help them decide when andwhere to sell their produce. The success of the pro-gram has triggered its replication in Uganda,Haiti, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines,Rwanda and Nigeria.

OFID supported the VPP program with aUS$20m loan extended through its private sectorwindow. In concert with other financial institu-tions, these funds have supported the networkand its capacity expansion, technological ad-vancement and improvement of Grameenphoneservices. As a result, Bangladeshi customers arebetter connected to the rest of the world and onemillion women are economically empowered.

Regardless of the democratization of technol-ogy that has made the ownership of mobile phonesmore accessible and affordable, the VPP continuessupporting women who resell airtime. The rev-enue, even if minor, is always welcome in house-holds that normally are full of shortages. �

Population: 154,695 million

GNI per capita: US$892

Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 inhabitants): 64


Individuals using the internet: 6.3%Source: UNdata

Key indicators: Bangladesh

Professor MuhammadYunus, founder of theGrameen Bank, speaks to would-be women telephone operators about the opportunitiespresented by the villagephone program.

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Approves new ten-year agendaMade up of the finance ministers and other high-level representativesof OFID Member Countries, the Ministerial Council is OFID’s supremegoverning authority and meets each June to review the institution’s performance and set policy for the year ahead. This year’s meeting washeld at OFID’s headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

by Audrey Haylins

Ministerial Council holds 36th session

he 36th Session of the Council elected tothe chair the People’s Democratic Repub-

lic of Algeria, represented by HE AbderrahmaneBenkhalfa, Minister of Finance. The Republic ofEcuador, represented by HE Wilson Pastor Mor-ris, OFID Governor and Ambassador of Ecuadorto Austria, was elected as vice-chair.

The highlight of the meeting was the ap-proval of a new corporate strategic plan, whichsets the framework for OFID’s operational activi-ties and institutional development for the nextten years (2016–2025).

Addressing the Council, outgoing Chair-man, HE Ali Shareef Al Emadi, Qatari Minister ofFinance, described the agenda as a “significantstrategic work plan that focuses on resilience, ef-ficiency and innovative solutions.” The program,he stressed, would capitalize on the institution’srecent achievements, especially with regard to its“special position” in fighting energy poverty.

Al Emadi underlined the significance of thecoming months in defining the shape and direc-tion of the global development agenda. PlacingOFID in this context, he said that Member Coun-tries had made clear their “continued support ofOFID and adherence to the principle of compre-hensive and sustainable development for all” inaccordance with the new United Nations Sus-tainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be an-nounced in September.

Operational reviewReporting on the work of the Governing Boardsince the last meeting of the Council in June2014, Board Chairman, Abdul Wahab Al-Bader ofKuwait, disclosed that some US$1.7bn had beenapproved in fresh lending for 74 projects. Therehad also been substantial progress in institutionstrengthening and human capacity building.

In his own statement to the Council, OFIDDirector-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish, pre-sented OFID as an institution that was “scalingup its activities, growing in stature and influence,and adapting successfully to an increasinglycomplex and uncertain business environment.”

Citing figures from the latest Annual Report—covering the period January to Decem-ber 2014—Al-Herbish said that it had been a“record-breaking year,” with both commitmentsand disbursements reaching the unprecedentedlevels of US$1.6bn and US$1.1bn respectively.“These figures are not only immensely satisfyingin themselves, but also a powerful testament tothe success of our various restructuring programsand our ongoing desire to more,” he declared.

The Director-General highlighted OFID’sstrategic repositioning to focus on the water-food-energy nexus, which he described as repre-senting “the defining challenges of the 21stcentury.” The nexus, he said, formed the lynch-pin of OFID’s strategic plan for the coming


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Incumbent Ministerial Council Chairman and Minister of Finance of Qatar, HE Ali Shareef Al Emadi (center), flanked by Abdul Wahab Al-Bader, Governing Board Chairman (left) and Suleiman J Al-Herbish, OFID Director-General (right).

decade. “Already, however, in 2014 we allo-cated 68 percent of total commitments to nexus-related projects,” he told the Council.

The Director-General went on to outlineprogress in the implementation of OFID’s Energyfor the Poor Initiative in terms of operational andadvocacy efforts, both of which had increased.Of special note, he said, was OFID’s decision tolead efforts to mobilize support for energypoverty eradication from the oil and gas indus-try. “We are now working closely with severalcompanies to activate a platform for action, andlook forward to our Member Countries joiningthis effort,” he stated.

Referring to the “transformational journey”that OFID had embarked upon ten years ago, Al-Herbish reiterated its objectives: to make the in-stitution more relevant, more effective, and moresustainable. “So far, I am pleased to say, we areticking all the boxes,” he affirmed. He added: “Ican say with confidence that, when it comes tooptimizing the use of our resources and balanc-

ing the pursuit of our mandate with our institu-tion’s financial sustainability, we are doing a sat-isfactory job.”

The Director-General concluded his state-ment by acknowledging the dual challenges pre-sented by the SDGs: a new global developmentparadigm and a new funding architecture. He as-sured Ministers: “We have confidence in our ca-pacity to deliver on our mandate. We have faithin the unbroken trust and support of our Mem-ber Countries. And we know that we can counton the expert guidance of our governing bodies.”

Other matters considered during the ses-sion included OFID’s financial statements for2014 and the Annual Report for the same year,which the Council approved. Also taking placewas the presentation of the OFID Annual Awardfor Development to the Children’s Cancer Hos-pital Foundation of Egypt (see story, page 40),and the naming of four 2015 OFID Scholars—from Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Palestine and SierraLeone. �


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The next Session of the Ministerial Council will be held in Vienna, Austriaon June 2, 2016.

Newly elected Ministerial Council Chairman, HE Abderrahmane Benkhalfa, Minister of Finance, Algeria

The Council’s busy agenda included considerationand approval of the Corporate Plan (2016-2025), a review of OFID’s financial statements for fiscalyear 2014 and approval of the Annual Report for the same year. Ministers also considered a number of reports relating to other operational and financial matters.

36th Session of the Ministerial Council


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HE Dr Bambang P. S. Brodjonegoro, Minister of Finance, Indonesia

HE Hoshyar Zibari, Minister of Finance, Iraq

HE Wilson Pastor Morris, OFID Governor and Ambassador of Ecuador to Austria

HE Dr Ali Taieb Nia, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, IR Iran


NEWSROUND

HE Abdul Wahab Al-Bader, Governor of Kuwait to OFID and Chairman of the OFID Governing Board

Mr Moraja G S Buhlaiga, Deputy Finance Minister, Libya

HE Ali Shareef Al Emadi, outgoing Ministerial Council Chairman and Minister of Finance, Qatar

HE Dr Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia


NEWSROUND

36th Session of the Ministerial Council

Dr Eudomar Tovar, Alternate Governor of Venezuela to OFID

HE Younes Haji AlKhoury, Deputy Finance Minister, United Arab Emirates

HE Anastasi Mabi Daniel-Nwaobia, Governor of Nigeria to OFID


NEWSROUND

he Award, which comes with a US$100,000prize, was announced on the sidelines of

the 36th session of the OFID Ministerial Councilin Vienna, Austria. It was presented jointly by theCouncil Chairman, Ali Shareef Al Emadi; Govern-ing Board Chairman, Abdulwahab Al-Bader; andDirector-General Al-Herbish. The Ambassador ofEgypt to Austria, Khaled Shamaa, received theAward on behalf of CCHE, which is widelyknown as Hospital 57357.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, MrAl-Herbish stated: “CCHE is one of the most in-spiring stories in recent times about how thedream of a few dedicated citizens to alleviate thesuffering of Egyptian children with cancer be-came a reality. OFID strongly believes that theCenter has directly contributed to health initia-tives related to our mandate, which focuses par-ticularly on children.”


NEWSROUND

The 2015 OFID Annual Award for Development has gone to the Children’s Cancer Hospital of Egypt (CCHE), a global center of excellence for pediatric oncology.

by Reem Aljarbou

Annual Award looks to a worldwithout children’s cancer

At the presentation ceremony (from left): Governing Board Chairman, Abdul Wahab Al-Bader; Khaled Shamaa, Ambassador of Egypt to Austria; incumbent MinisterialCouncil Chairman, Ali Shareef Al Emadi; OFID Director-General, Suleiman J Al-Herbish.

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Responding on behalf of CCHE, AmbassadorShamaa said: “OFID’s work aims at encouragingself-reliance in developing countries in such away as to inspire hope for the future. This is ex-actly what Hospital 57357 has set out to achieve,through smart education and research; andthrough the provision of free, excellent qualitycare to all children with cancer, with the aim ofmaximizing their chances of being cured and se-curing a better future.”

Upon learning of the Award, Dr Amr EzzatSalama, President of the Board of Trustees said:“We are humbled by this recognition and hon-ored to be partners with OFID in alleviating thesuffering of the most disadvantaged in our devel-oping societies.”

Located in the historic El Sayeda Zeinab dis-trict of Cairo, CCHE began operation in July 2007and has grown to become one of the largest chil-dren’s cancer hospitals in the world. It describesitself as not just a hospital but a center of excel-lence in care, research and expertise. All childrenare treated free of charge, regardless of their abil-ity to pay.

One of the major achievements of the 200-bed state-of-the-art hospital, which treats an es-timated 1,500 new paediatric cancer patientseach year, is that its free services extend beyondEgypt to Africa and the Middle East. The hospitalwas built and is sustained completely by dona-tions generated—both at home and overseas—through its fundraising non-profit Children’sCancer Hospital Foundation.

Since opening, the hospital has succeededin increasing the childhood cancer survival ratein Egypt from less than 40 percent to almost 75percent, one of the highest in the developingworld. This compares favorably with Westernrates of 75–80 percent.

As a result of growing pressure on its serv-ices, the hospital has recently undergone expan-sion, with a 60-bed extension added and fullyoperational by the end of November 2014. A 52-bed unit in Tanta in the Delta region waslaunched in January 2015 and officially inaugu-rated in the presence of the Prime MinisterIbrahim Mehleb in May 2015.

According to the World Health Organiza-tion in their Global Action against Cancer Report,on a yearly basis over 160,000 children are diag-nosed with cancer globally. Of the 90,000 chil-dren who lose their lives to the disease, 80 percentlive in developing countries.

The OFID Annual Award was instituted in 2006.Past winners include: the Kakenya Center for Ex-cellence; Ashesi University; Pakistani girls’ rightsactivist Malala Yousafzai; Dr Mazen Al-Hajri, a pioneer in the field of ear, nose and throat medi-cine, known for his charitable work with childrenin Palestine; Professor Muhammad Yunus,Founder of the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh;and, Bertolina Sisa National Confederation ofPeasant Indigenous Native Women of Bolivia,among other distinguished personalities and institutions. �


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From the onset, CCHE wanted to create a unique brand witha distinctive name that people would instantly connect to aworthy cause. In a name-storming session before the Founda-tion’s f irst fundraising campaign in January, 2000, it was sug-gested that a number could be very effective in making adistinctive, easily remembered name. Therefore, the hospitaldecided to use its bank account number 57357, and so Hospital 57357 was born.

Why “Hospital 57357”?

quality education is a vital tool forsustainable development, guiding

the path towards better economic opportu-nities and social prosperity. This September,the international community will renew itscommitment to education at the launch ofthe eagerly anticipated Sustainable Devel-opment Goals. SDG4 will be dedicated tolife-long learning opportunities for all.

OFID has long recognized the impor-tance of education as a means to enhancedlife opportunities. Since 2007, the annualScholarship Award has furthered OFID’s vi-sion of sustainable development centeredon human-capacity building.

This year, almost 14,000 hopeful stu-dents applied for the chance to pursue theirgraduate studies at top academic institu-tions. Hundreds of candidates exhibitedtheir skills and dedication to developmentthrough impressive applications. Evaluat-ing the high quality and diversity of thecandidates was a humbling experience forthe scholarship committee.

After a rigorous selection process, fourexceptional candidates—representing each

of OFID’s operational regions—were cho-sen on the basis of their achievements andproven passion for development.

The 2015 OFID scholar from Africa isJennet Druscilla Buck from Sierra Leone.She will pursue an MSc in PharmaceuticalScience and Management at Kingston Uni-versity in the United Kingdom.

Jennet is currently working as an in-specting pharmacist in the Ministry ofHealth and Sanitation. Personally affectedby the Ebola crisis, which claimed hermother’s life, Jennet is concerned with thedeficiencies in the healthcare delivery sys-tem in Sierra Leone. “My dream is to be-come involved in the fight against theseproblems and take the practice of phar-macy in my country to the next level,” shesaid.

Jennet describes her home country as“virgin ground for industrialization inpharmaceuticals.” Upon her return toSierra Leone after completing her studies,she hopes to become a more resourcefulprofessional and contribute to the develop-ment of senior staff.


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The OFID Scholarship Award is presented yearly to outstanding students from the developing world who are striving to become agents

of change in their home countries.

OFID announces 2015 ScholarsOFID announces 2015 Scholars

Jennet Druscilla Buck

by Fatma Elzahra Elshhati

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From the Asia region comes 24 year-oldAisuluu Abdyldaeva from Kyrgyzstan, whowill study for a Masters in InternationalManagement at the UK’s University of Roehampton.

Despite resistance from her family andsurrounding society, Aisuluu has showngreat determination and courage in findingher path. “I put in twice the energy toprogress at work,” she said. Currently she isworking with the German developmentagency GIZ as an expert for local economicdevelopment. Upon receiving news of hernomination she stated: “My career plan iscoming true.”

The young professional advocatesstrongly for the need for young forward-thinking people to advance developmentin her country. She confirms that she willdirect her efforts to “supporting and edu-cating young leaders.”

Duaa Althalathini from Palestine isthe 2015 scholar from the Middle East andNorth Africa region. She has accepted aplace at the University of Sussex in the UKto study poverty and development.

Currently, Duaa is a project coordinator inRamallah. Her research interests are in the field of economic empowerment,specifically in relation to women entrepre-neurship and innovation. She hopes thatpursuing a Master’s degree will help her to“learn innovative approaches and new con-cepts which contribute to the developmentof programs related to entrepreneurshippromotion and poverty alleviation espe-cially for women.”

When informed about her successfulapplication, she stated: “This great oppor-tunity will enable me to achieve my careerand personal goals and will deepen myknowledge of poverty and development is-sues.”

The successful candidate from theLatin America, Caribbean and Europe re-gion is 27 year-old Denis Pavon fromNicaragua. Denis will pursue his Master’s inEngineering for Sustainable Developmentfrom the UK’s prestigious University ofCambridge.

Denis describes himself as having“two passions in life: sustainable develop-

ment and entrepreneurship.” Currently, hemanages his own social enterprise and aimsto raise awareness about environmental is-sues related to development.

As an OFID Scholar, Denis is confidentthat he will be able to contribute “to buildstrategic networks to promote innovativesustainable initiatives in our communi-ties.” Upon completing his degree, hewishes to continue to promote economicprogress, ecological protection and socialjustice.

Members of the scholarship commit-tee and OFID wish the scholars every suc-cess in their future endeavors.

Since its inception in 2007, the OFIDScholarship Award has supported the academic aspirations of 17 outstanding students from 16 developing countries.OFID scholars receive one year fullyfunded scholarship to pursue a graduatedegree in their chosen subject related todevelopment. �


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Aisuluu Abdyldaeva Duaa Althalathini Denis Pavon

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Annual Report 2014 highlightsrecord-breaking year

hese and other figures are published inOFID’s 2014 Annual Report, which was

released on July 21 following its adoption by theMinisterial Council, the institution’s highest governing body. The Report details OFID’s per-formance during 2014, highlighting its activitiesby sector, geographical region and financialmechanism.

In his Foreword to the Report, Director-General, Suleiman J. Al-Herbish reflects that aswell as being a year of “exceptional operationalachievement”, 2014 will be remembered for “sev-eral important landmarks, including the returnof Ecuador as a Member Country after a 22-yearabsence”.

He also notes OFID’s continued strategicfocus on the “vitally important” water-food-energy nexus. “Sustainable water access, modernenergy access and food security represent thedefining challenges of this century” he states.

In this regard and “in keeping with our Energy for the Poor initiative and the spirit ofour 2012 Ministerial Declaration on EnergyPoverty, all financing mechanisms were brought

into play to facilitate the broadest possible rangeof solutions.”

2014 commitmentsThe US$1,553m in new funding approved in 2014represents an increase of some US$16m over 2013.The largest share went to Africa, which continuesto be the main focus of OFID’s poverty eradica-tion efforts.

In 2014, US$823m or 53 percent of total approvals were allocated to nexus-related initia-tives. Within the nexus, support to the agricul-ture sector leapt to four times the sum committedin 2013, bringing it close to par with the waterand sanitation sector.

Focus areasIn keeping with established practice, the sectoraldistribution of commitments in 2014 reflectedthe priorities of Partner Countries.

The energy sector drew the bulk of ap-provals, with a record US$456m given in supportof 29 projects in 24 partner countries. Behind

As of December 31, 2014, OFID’s cumulative development assistance rose to almost US$18bn following the approval of an additional US$1,553m in financing that year. Disbursements also hit a new high of US$1,131m.

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*Total approvals:

US$1,553.1m

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456.1 Energy 256.0 Financial 214.7 Transport 191.5 Water & Sanitation 175.6 Agriculture 102.0 Multisector 78.7 Health 40.1 Education 25.0 Industry 11.2 HIPC 2.3 Emergency

Approvals in 2014 by sector*(US$m)

**Total disbursements:

US$1,130.5m

530.7 Public Sector Lending

293.4 Trade Finance Facility

280.6 Private Sector Facility

25.9 Grant Assistance

Disbursements in 2014 by mechanism**(US$m)

by Justine Würtz


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energy came the financial sector with a substan-tial US$256m approved, an amount divided almost equally between support to cross bordertrade (US$131m) and to the capital expenditureand working capital needs of MSMEs (US$125m).

Transportation sector projects numbered 13 and comprised financing amounting toUS$214.7m. Public sector projects formed thebulk of transactions, securing US$196.4m, predominantly for the roads subsector.

Total approvals to the water supply andsanitation sector reached US$191.5m, or 12 per-cent of aggregate commitments for the year andhelped fund projects in 17 countries.

The agriculture sector attracted US$175.6m,a more than four-fold increase over 2013. Thefunds represented an 11.3 percent share of totalcommitments for the year and were distributedacross Africa (US$114.8m), Asia (US$55.4m) andEurope (US$5.4m).

Multisectoral initiatives secured US$102min financing while other sectors to receive support were health (US$78.7.m), education(US$40.1m) and industry (US$25m).

Regional operationsIn keeping with its mandate to prioritize thelow-income nations, 37 African countries bene-fited from OFID financing in 2014. Collectively,these nations received US$647.5m, with morethan one-half (US$345.4m) delivered in publicsector lending.

The bulk of this (41 percent) went to the energy sector for a wide range of initiatives. Foodsecurity was also high on the agenda, with someUS$114.8m (or 18 percent of aggregate approvals)committed. A similar share (16 percent) went tothe transportation sector, primarily for road upgrading and construction.

In Asia, US$558.6m was approved for oper-ations in 18 countries, indicating an increase ofsome US$200m over the previous year. Conces-sional public sector lending, of close to 48 per-cent (or US$266m) was the primary mechanism.However, private sector and trade finance win-dows also performed well, delivering someUS$156.2m and US$125m, respectively.

The region also secured substantial grantfunding of US$11.4m, or some 45 percent of thetotal grant resources approved for the year. Pales-tine was the biggest beneficiary, receivingUS$6.4m for 12 projects, ranging from humani-tarian relief and food aid to health and educa-tion initiatives, among others.

Some 20 percent (or US$313.4m) of totalglobal commitments for the year went to 15countries in the Latin America and Caribbean

region. By far the largest portion (US$116m or 37percent) went to the financial sector to bolsterthe trade and capital expenditure requirementsof SMEs.

Although most of the funding (US$156.6m)was approved in public sector lending, trade fi-nancing activities featured strongly, accountingfor US$106m of total approvals, and includingfirst-time trade operations in El Salvador,Panama and Peru.

In Emerging Europe the approval of aUS$5.4m public sector loan to Bosnia and Herze-govina will help 20,000 smallholders transitionfrom subsistence to commercial farming and di-versify into off-farm activities.

Financial mechanismsThe public sector maintained its position as theprimary channel for OFID’s operations. Ap-provals of US$773.3m accounted for 65 percentof total commitments for the year and supported41 projects in 34 countries, including new part-ner Argentina.

An aggregate US$433.3m was committedthrough the Trade Finance Facility, the bulk of it(US$302m) in nine transactions drawn from anexisting global trade participation scheme withthe International Islamic Trade Finance Corpo-ration. The remaining resources were allocatedto support the import and export funding needsof SMEs.

Private sector approvals comprised 25 trans-actions with a combined value of US$321.4m insupport of operations primarily in the financial(US$125m) and energy (US$108m) sectors. Theyear also saw intensified focus on renewable en-ergies, with maiden solar projects in Hondurasand Jordan and a first hydro project in Nepal.Both Nepal and Tajikistan—where funds werechanneled to support microfinance—were newcountries of operation under the Facility in2014. Also approved was a first unfunded risk-sharing operation in the SME sector: a US$150mcontribution to the Global SME Facility.

Through OFID’s various grant programs anaggregate US$25.1m was approved for a total of61 operations across all developing regions of theworld. In keeping with the institution’s strategicfocus, close to 40 percent of these resources weredelivered in support of the water-food-energynexus.

Approvals continued to increase under theenergy poverty grant program, with a recordUS$5.9m provided for nine projects, all but onebased on renewable solutions and benefiting 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the MiddleEast, Asia and the Caribbean. �

OFID THE OPEC FUND FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ANNUALREPORT

2014

The 2014 Annual Reportis available in English,

Arabic, French and Spanish and on USB in all four languages, as

well as in PDF format fordownloading from the

OFID website atwww.ofid.org.

hile the audience with Queen Rania wasthe clear highlight of the April visit, the

main purpose of the mission was the signature ofa US$700,000 grant agreement in support of aproject to bolster the Jordanian public school sys-tem.

The project, which will help address the cri-sis brought on by the growing number of Syrianrefugee pupils, is being undertaken by theMadrasati “My School” Initiative. Launched byQueen Rania in 2008, the initiative is imple-mented by the Jordan River Foundation.


Since the start of the Syria crisis, the number ofrefugees in Jordan has mushroomed to almostone tenth of the latter country’s population. Andas most of the refugees are dispersed among thecommunity—rather than in the official refugeecamps—the pressure on free public services suchas schools has become unsustainable.

The OFID-sponsored project, which is co-financed by the German Agency for InternationalCooperation (GIZ), is both holistic and multi-dimensional. As well as refurbishing and equip-ping the schools, it includes components to boostthe quality of education and the capacities ofteaching staff.

OFID’s grant will be partially used for up-grading the schools’ facilities, but will predomi-nantly finance the installation of solar panels forelectricity generation. This will be a huge boonfor the schools, which are generally underfundedand forced to cut their energy bill by restrictingthe use of electricity to the bare necessities suchas lighting.

The new, additional power supply will allowthe classrooms to be heated, thereby ensuring amore favorable learning environment and betterhealth conditions, especially during the increas-ingly harsh winters affecting the country.

Official visit to Jordanunderscores importance of education

In a brief mission to Jordan in April, OFIDDirector-General, Suleiman J Al-Herbishwas privileged to meet and exchange viewswith fellow humanitarian, Her MajestyQueen Rania Al Abdullah.

by Souhad Khriesat

Queen Rania of Jordan with OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish.

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A meeting of mindsReceiving Mr Al-Herbish in her office, QueenRania commended OFID’s role in supporting sus-tainable development in least developed coun-tries, as well as in countries, such as Jordan, whichface specific situations that put a strain on theirlimited resources.

The Director-General expressed his appreci-ation to Queen Rania for receiving the OFID del-egation and praised the noble mandate of theJordan River Foundation.

He went on to emphasize the pivotal role ofeducation in development and cited several ex-amples of OFID’s support to undertakings thataddress youth inclusiveness and capacity build-ing, most notably the OFID Scholarship Award.

The Queen talked about some of the manyprograms and initiatives that are implementedthrough the Queen Rania Foundation, many ofwhich are education-related.

She particularly emphasized the importantrole of teachers for quality education and the application and relevance of new technologies forexpanding the outreach of knowledge and infor-mation.

In this regard, she made reference to two un-dertakings of her Foundation: an ICT in educa-tion initiative, and Edraak—an Arabic massive

open online course platform, the first non-profitplatform of its kind in the Arab World.

Mr Al-Herbish spoke of access to modern en-ergy services as an enabler of education and othersectors, and outlined OFID’s advocacy and oper-ations in this field. �

Since initiating cooperation with Jordan in 1977,OFID has approved over a quarter of a billion USdollars—utilizing all four f inancing windows—in support of the country’s development. The bulk ofthese resources has gone to the energy, agriculture,health and education sectors.

Projects funded by OFID in Jordan include theQueen Rania Children’s Hospital at the King HusseinMedical City, the Queen Alia International Airportand the King Abdullah Hospital in Irbid. Others arethe Taf ila Wind Project and two solar energyschemes: Jordan Solar One and Falcon Ma’an SolarPower.

OFID’s grant program has supported a number ofprojects in Jordan, including—among others—theKing Hussein Cancer Foundation and intellectual activities at the University of Jordan, along with humanitarian work to assist Syrian refugees.

OFID’s partnership with Jordan

The Queen Rania Foundation implements a wide range of important and innovative educationinitiatives and enjoys the active support of Her Majesty.

OFID Director-General Al-Herbish and Tala Sweis, Director, Madrasati Initiative sign the latest grant agreement.

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he 80 megawatt plant came on line in earlyDecember 2014, immediately boosting

Kenya’s electricity generating capacity by nearlyseven percent.

A state-of-the-art heavy fuel oil (HFO) facil-ity, the plant is independently owned and oper-ated by Gulf Power Limited, which enjoys a20-year power purchase agreement with the na-tional distribution company, Kenya Power andLight (KPLC).

By ensuring a more stable electricity supply,the new plant is expected to help raise economicproductivity levels, encourage investment—par-

ticularly in energy intensive manufacturing in-dustries—and in turn create jobs for the Kenyanpeople.

Gulf Power’s general manager, NormanWanyiri said:

“The contribution of energy in an economycannot be underestimated. One of the reasons wehave a poor economic record is lack of adequateelectrical power. Kenya is targeting to become anindustrialized country by 2030 … so the govern-ment is trying to come up with a mix that is goingto make energy more available, affordable and reliable.”

A newly operational heavy fuel oil power plant—co-financed by OFID’sprivate sector facility—is delivering on Kenya’s urgent demand for reliableenergy, promising to catalyze local industry and already making a worldof difference to nearby communities.

by Nadia Benamara

Fueling Kenya’s growth

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The new plant has a 30-day reserve of fuel to ensure a reliable supply of power to homes and industry

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Currently, only one in four Kenyans has accessto electricity, which is provided predominantlythrough hydropower. However, this is not asource that can be counted on.

Erratic rainfalls and frequent droughts—increasingly thought of as irreversible effects ofclimate change—will continue to result in severeoutages unless the Kenyan government succeedsin diversifying its power sector.

Emergency diesel power, which the govern-ment has resorted to in times of need, is not asustainable alternative, especially for Kenyanconsumers, who cannot afford to pay its exorbi-tant costs.

HFO power plants are more economical torun. Other advantages include agility, adapt-ability, and the speed at which they can injectpower into the national grid.

Gulf Power’s chief technical officer, BensonNjiru explained:

“A hydro turbine can perhaps generate morepower, but to bring it back up to performancemight take as much as a whole day. Mediumspeed HFO plants [like the Gulf Power facility]are configured to provide 100 percent capacitywithin 15–20 minutes of a blackout or similarmassive failure.”

Located in the Athi River export processingzone, 25 km southeast of Nairobi, the Gulf Powerplant is ideally situated to support both localand national demands.

According to Ramina Samii, OFID officer incharge of the transaction, this type of energygeneration project is an excellent example ofsuccessful private-public partnership; a modelmany countries have embraced to attract invest-ment in the sector.

It’s a win-win situation,” said Samii. “Powerpurchase agreements make the investmentbankable for lenders, ensure adequate returns to shareholders, relieve the public purse fromundertaking and managing multi-million dollarinvestments in power plants, and increase installed capacity in a timely and efficient manner.”

Gulf Power is a special purpose companyformed by Gulf Energy Limited, one of the topimporters of oil and gas in Kenya. It won theAthi River concession in a competitive biddingprocess based on providing least-cost power toconsumers.

Gulf Power’s chief financial officerAbubakar Ali said that development finance institutions (DFIs) played a critical role in sucharrangements:

“We are looking to deliver least-cost powerto consumers, so projects of this size aren’t viable for investors unless DFIs such as OFID canextend long-term loans to help us financethem.”

OFID and its longstanding partners, the In-ternational Finance Corporation and SouthAfrica-based Standard Bank Group, contributedalmost three-quarters of the approximately€85m (US$95m) total cost in debt financing.

Operating 24/7, the Gulf Power plant em-ploys a fulltime staff of 50. More than 90 percentare local hires. Some 60 percent arrived un-skilled and received on the job training. An ad-ditional 250 workers were employed during theplant’s construction phase.

General Manager Wanyiri said: “This is notthe end for us. We will continue looking formore projects in geothermal and in solar, and wehope OFID can come in and give us the supportthey’ve given us in this current project.” �

We have our electricity back

Home to some 140,000people, Athi River boastsover a half dozen cementand steel works, as well astextile and food processingfactories—altogether about60 commercial enterprisesthat provide most of the jobsin the area.

Kevin Otieno Jauga has beenliving here for the past 37years. A married father oftwo, he told the Quarterly:

“We used to not have elec-tricity at night. More and more industries came up here and because ofcompetition between households and industries, electricity became aproblem. Manufacturing requires a lot of energy so most nights, weekends,public holidays too, households lost out.”

According to Jauga: “There’s been a big change because of the new GulfPower plant. Now, on weekends when we’re supposed to have rationing,Gulf Power is supplying the industries so we have our electricity back.”

As far as what the future holds, Jauga said he too believes diversity is keyto Kenya developing its energy potential:

“We need to get other sources of power, other programs like this, all overthe country, so we can improve people’s lives … Everything nowadays re-lies on power. You can’t do anything without it.”

Abubakar Ali Salim, Chief FinancialOfficer, Gulf Power.

Athi River resident, Kevin Otieno Jauga.

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he new funding will help finance the sec-ond phase of the Reconquista Water Sup-

ply Project in the northern region of Santa Féprovince, where less than half the population hasaccess to a clean water source.

Phase I is currently addressing the construc-tion of a water treatment plant and parts of a dis-tribution network. Phase II will extend thisnetwork along three additional branches in theGeneral Obligado and Vera departments.

This second phase, which is being co-financed by the government of Argentina, alsoincludes the implementation of a water manage-ment system—such as automatic meter reading,leak detection and equipment surveillance—inorder to react in real time to events in the field.

When completed in 2019, the new infra-structure will serve 175,000 people and bring ahost of social and economic benefits, includingbetter health status and higher income-generat-ing potential from improved environmental con-ditions.

The loan agreement was signed by OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish and DrAntonio Bonifatti, Governor of the Province ofSanta Fé.

At the signing ceremony, Al-Herbish said thatwater access represented a core component ofOFID’s strategic plan which focused on the inter-related challenges of water, food and energy sup-ply. “In line with this framework and inrecognition of your government’s commitmentto ensure access to drinking water by the entirepopulation of the province by 2020, we have de-cided to support this project,” he stated.

Speaking to the Quarterly, Governor Boni-fatti warmly welcomed OFID’s assistance: “We arepleased to see that just nine months after thepresentation of the project, we managed to signthis agreement which allows us to continue pro-viding for the basic rights of the people of SantaFé,” he said.

The project had originally been presented inAugust 2014 during a visit to OFID by Argentina’sMinister of Economy and the Secretary of PublicFinance of the Province of Santa Fé.

Clean water a priorityAccess to clean drinking water remains an obsta-cle for Argentina. Despite abundant resources,the sector is hampered by high levels of contam-ination from agricultural chemicals, sewage andindustrial effluents, coupled with underdevel-oped water treatment facilities and distributionnetworks.

In Santa Fé, the provincial water authorityservices only 15 out of the province’s 362 towns,equal to 1.5 million people or about 45 percent ofthe total population.

Of the remaining inhabitants, 1.3 millionpeople get their water from poor quality sources,while nearly half a million residents have no access at all.

Several communities own small water treat-ment plants, but are only able to provide twolitres of drinking water per person per day, deliv-ered in plastic bottles.

Because of the implications for public healthand economic development, both the central

OFID sets up landmarkagreement with Argentina

With the provision of a US$50m loan for awater supply project in the Santa Fé province,OFID’s relations with Argentina have takenon a new dimension—the commencement of cooperation in the public sector.

by Arya Gunawan Usis

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government and the provincial government ofSanta Fé have made the provision of clean watera priority.

The provincial government has made astrategic commitment to ensure access to drink-ing water for the entire population by 2020. Thisplan is to be realized through the construction of12 water supply plants, with an estimated totalcost of US$1.5bn.

Addressing basic rights According to OFID’s Miguel Linares, officer incharge of the Reconquista project, Argentina’sstatus as a high middle-income country, had pre-viously excluded it from OFID’s public sectorportfolio.

“On this occasion, although our mandaterequires us to prioritize the less developed coun-tries, we felt we had to give this project proposalserious consideration because it addresses a basichuman right, access to clean drinking water,”Linares explained.

He went on to describe the due diligencemission that OFID conducted in the project areain October 2014, where it quickly became evidentthat the water was highly contaminated with anumber of toxic minerals that would be very haz-ardous to people’s health over the long term.

“Based on the information gathered dur-ing the visit, we were convinced that our con-sideration of this project was more than

justified, not only from the economic point ofview but also from a development perspective,”Linares stressed.

“We envisaged the project delivering sub-stantial social impact, as the new infrastructurewould eventually have the potential to attractmore investments and strengthen local economicactivities,” he added.

Thorough preliminary analysisBecause this is OFID’s first-ever public sector proj-ect in Argentina, it was necessary to present Ar-gentina as a new partner to the institution’sGoverning Board in order for it to be declared el-igible for financing.

Having gone through this process, added bythe willingness of Argentina’s central govern-ment to provide a sovereign guarantee, the loanwas approved in December 2014.

Linares disclosed that OFID has since re-ceived further requests to finance more projectswith their new partner, such as water supply,urban development and basic infrastructure.

“But we still need to coordinate with thecentral government to see which sectors they aregoing to prioritize,” he advised.

Although the Santa Fé project is OFID’s firstpublic sector initiative in Argentina, the countryhas previously benefited from a trade financeloan, which was extended in 2010 in support ofagribusiness. �

When completed in 2019,the new infrastructure will provide some 175,000 people with a sustainableand clean water source.

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APRIL 2

Grant agreements signed

United Nations DevelopmentProgram–Program of Assis-tance to the Palestinian People(UNDP/PAPP). US$1.2m. For the rehabilitation of housesdamaged by the war in the Gaza Strip.

UNDP/PAPP. US$50,000. To enable renewable energy generation from solar panels for education, health and waterfacilities in the Gaza Strip.

APRIL 8

Public sector loan agreement signed

Tanzania. US$15m. Same, Mwanga and KorogweWater Supply Project (Phase II).To construct distribution andprocessing systems for the sup-ply of water to over 127,000 people living in the semi-aridlowlands of the Same, Mwangaand Korogwe districts.

APRIL 10

Research grant approved

Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Atomic and Subatomic Physics“Arab-European SummerSchool on Energy Education.”US$75,000. To promote and im-prove the teaching of renewableand non-renewable energy insecondary and technical schoolsacross the Arab region.

APRIL 17–20

Public sector loan agreements signed

Chad. US$18m. Kyabe-Singako Road. To build a72km all-weather road, openingroutes to marketplaces and so-cial services for some 174,0000people who currently live inpoverty and isolation.

China. US$35m. Laibin Vocational Education.For the construction of a voca-tional secondary school and

campus center to train skilledworkers to meet the demands of local industries.

Egypt. US$27m. Expansion and Rehabilitation of Ain Shams University Special-ized Hospital. To equip and construct/renovate oncology,gynecology and neurosurgerycenters at the Ain Shams University Specialized Hospital.

Ethiopia. US$25m. Shambu-Bako Road. To improve a deteriorated 60kmgravel road, thus increasing access to marketplaces, socialservices and jobs for nearly300,000 people.

Nicaragua. US$7m. Rancho Rojo-La CalamidadRoad. To upgrade a 10km gravelroad in the department ofBoaco, thus easing the transportof produce and inputs and enabling around 50,000 peopleto access social services and jobs.

APRIL 29

Emergency grant approved

International Federation ofRed Cross and Red CrescentSocieties. US$300,000. For emergency aid in the form of essential relief suppliesand support to emergency operations to assist earthquakevictims in Nepal.

MAY 13

Grant agreement signed

Organization for InternationalEconomic Relations.US$800,000. To install solar facilities for the provision ofelectricity and light in rural regions of Côte d’Ivoire andGhana.

MAY 15


Lao, PDR. US$9m. Second Northern GreaterMekong Sub-Region TransportNetwork Improvement Project.To upgrade 143km of roads innortheastern Laos, thus easingtransport constraints for around60,000 people.

MAY 26

Trade finance term loan agreement signed

Banco Regional S.A.E.C.A., Paraguay. US$25m. To facilitate the financing of imports and exports of a widevariety of products, mostly inthe agricultural sector.


April - July 2015

Mr Al-Herbish received Mutaz Musa Abdalla Salim, Sudan’s minister of water resources and electricity, to discuss the resumptionof cooperation between OFID and Sudan.


MAY 28

Private sector agreement signed

Pembani Remgro Infrastruc-ture Fund. US$15m. The Fund will invest in a widespectrum of infrastructure proj-ects in sub-Saharan Africa, cov-ering sectors such as transport,energy, telecommunications,water and sanitation.

JUNE 3

Emergency grant approved

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).US$250,000. To support theICRC humanitarian response to the crisis in Yemen.

Research grants approved

Underserved Populations Program (UPP). US$90,000. Tosupport UPP activities address-ing HIV/AIDS and tuberculosisamong vulnerable populationsin Central Asia.

International Water Association (IWA). US$75,000. To support the participation of40–45 delegates from develop-ing countries in the fourth IWADevelopment Congress and Exhibition.

The Colombo Plan.US$100,000. To support the attendance of 50 participantsfrom the 19 Colombo Planmember developing countrieson the 2015–2016 “Training Program on Microfinance andSmall and Medium EnterprisesDevelopment”.

JUNE 16


Madagascar. US$15m. Integrated Growth Poles’ EnergyAccess Enhancement Project. Toimprove the reliability of energyprovision and enhance access toenergy services for some twomillion people.

Madagascar. US$7.5m. Beboka Hydro-Agricultural Development Project. To helpreduce rural poverty and boost

food security for around 8,000people by constructing a diver-sion dam and irrigation scheme.

Djibouti. US$13m and US$6m.Tadjoura Port Expansion Proj-ect. To upgrade port facilities inorder to accommodate a highervolume of exports.

JUNE 26


Sri Lanka. US$60m. Rehabilitation of the A05 RoadCorridor from Badulla toChenkaladi Project. To rehabili-tate and widen 151.3km of road,thereby stimulating the manu-facturing, mining, tourism andagriculture sectors as well astrade.

Sri Lanka. US$17m. Western Province Road Develop-ment Project. To upgrade andwiden 27km of selected nationalhighways in the Westernprovince, thus improving accessto social services and loweringthe cost of transporting agricul-tural produce and other goods.

JUNE 29


Bangladesh. US$25m. Teesta River Bridge and AccessRoads Project. To improve con-nectivity between the districts of Gaibandha and Kurigram,where poverty levels are high.

Cameroon. US$14m. Olama–Kribi Road Project. Topave a 204km earth road thatjoins the capital Yaoundé to the port of Kribi, thus openingup isolated regions, which are rich in agricultural products and timber.

Gambia, The. US$13m. Rural Infrastructure Develop-ment Project. To construct basicinfrastructure, including roads,health centers, schools andsmall water supply and sanita-tion systems, in five impover-ished rural regions.

St. Lucia. US$18m. Choc Bay–Gros Islet Road andSecondary Roads DevelopmentProject. To rehabilitate around27km of main and secondaryroads, thus enhancing livingconditions for around 95,000people in the capital Castriesand the northwest.

Togo. US$12m. Sokode–Bassar Road Rehabilita-tion Project. To rehabilitate astrategically situated 57km-longroad serving over 310,000 peo-ple in high-poverty areas.

Zambia. US$14m. National Rural Water Supply andSanitation Program. To providesustainable and equitable accessto improved water supply andsanitation for rural populationsin approximately 100 villages inZambia’s Western province.

JULY 2


Maldives. US$50m. Provision of Water Supply, Sanitation and Solid Waste Management Project. To con-struct new infrastructure thatwill help raise health standardsand living conditions for approximately 124,000 peoplein 49 selected islands.

JULY 7


Bolivia. US$70m. HighwayConstruction Villa Granado–Taperas Bridge–La Palizada Project. To rehabilitate a keystretch of road and help smallfarmers receive inputs and trans-port produce, and in turn raiseincomes and food security.

JULY 21

OFID Ministerial Councilholds 36th Annual SessionSee story, page 32.

JULY 22

151st Session of the Governing BoardPublic sector projects approved

Belize. US$12m. Reconstruction of HummingbirdHighway. To widen and pave the85km highway with the aim ofopening up major agricultural,industrial and tourism areas.

Burkina Faso. US$14m. Ouagadougou University Expan-sion. To build and equip studentdormitories able to lodge 1,500students along with a new train-ing and academic research unitfor the science and technologyfaculty.

Burundi. US$10m. Rural Electrification Project inKirundo Province. To providenearly 10,000 consumers in over34 rural towns with electricalpower.

Mr Al-Herbish says farewell to Mohammed Al Salloum, outgoingSaudi Ambassador to Austria.

OFID DIARY

Chad. US$6m. INSTA Expansion. To constructand equip a biomedical depart-ment at the University Instituteof Science and Technology(INSTA) in the city of Abéchéwith a view to mitigating thecountry’s shortage of biomedi-cine professionals.

Haiti. US$20.4m. Hydroelectric Plant Rehabilita-tion (Phase II). To ensure a reliable supply of electricity toHaiti’s capital, Port-au-Princeand the Central province by rehabilitating three generatingunits. The plant is the country’sonly large-scale renewable energy source.

Lao, PDR. US$15m. Vientiane Sustainable UrbanTransport. To facilitate mobilitywithin the capital by construct-ing a bus rapid transit systemand procuring the necessary vehicles. The new network willhelp boost productivity, facili-tate commercial activities, and foster inclusive social development.

Morocco. US$70m. Second Rural Electrification. To provide around 19,000 rural,low-income households, spreadacross 49 provinces, with reli-able electricity services. This willhelp stimulate job creation,boost agricultural productivityand reduce poverty.

Niger. US$15m. Family Farming Development.To enhance food security andfood crisis resilience in the south-central region by upgrad-ing and constructing productiveeconomic infrastructure for the benefit of over two millionpeople.

Paraguay. US$43.36m. South-West Integration RoadCorridors Infrastructure. To improve the country’s pavedroad network and ease the transport of goods, particularlywith its main trade partner Argentina. The project areas arepopulated by over two millionpeople and home to around12,000 agricultural producersand microenterprises.

Togo. US$10m. Oti Plain Rural Development. To develop agricultural land and provide machinery andtechnical assistance, as well asbuild/upgrade socioeconomicinfrastructure for the benefit of around 10,000 people across14 villages and settlements.

Uzbekistan. US$11m. Improvement of Potable WaterSupply of Rural Population ofKoshrabad Area of SamarkandRegion. To improve the healthstandards and living conditionsof approximately 68,000 peoplethrough the construction/up-grading of water supply infra-structure.

Zimbabwe. US$20m. First Education. To develop 12rural primary and 5 secondaryschools and provide equipmentand furniture to improve learn-ing conditions for over 10,000pupils. Also planned is the con-struction of housing for teachers.

Grants approved

The Patient’s Friends Society.US$200,000. To expand the“OFID Department of Surgery”at Al-Ahli hospital in Hebron inPalestine through the purchaseof beds and other furnitureneeded to meet the growingnumber of patients.

Alliance for Rural Electrification. US$990,000. To provide de-risking mecha-nisms for business ventures tofacilitate the deployment ofmini-grids for affordable andsustainable energy services inBangladesh, India, Mali andMozambique.

Foundation for Rural EnergyServices. US$500,000. To provide affordable, reliableand sustainable electricity serv-ices to households, local busi-nesses and community centersin Contuboel village in GuineaBissau through the installationof solar mini-grid systems.

Hope ’87. US$250,000. To establish a teacher trainingcenter in Lahore, Pakistan, capa-ble of training some 300,000teachers per year. An estimated220,500 primary and secondarypupils will benefit indirectlyfrom the improved quality of education.

International AIDS Society.US$300,000. To sponsor theAIDS 2016 Conference in Durban,South Africa, and fund a jointOFID/IAS workshop on HIV inConservative Social Settings.

UNIDO. US$300,000. To improve the productivity andcompetitiveness of fisheries’value chains in Colombia, Cuba,the Dominican Republic andNicaragua, with special focus onsmaller producers.

United Nations Relief andWorks Agency for PalestinianRefugees in the Near East(UNRWA). US$1.4m. To improve the health and liv-ing conditions of around 16,000residents of the Shu’fat refugeecamp in Jerusalem through theupgrading of storm water andsewerage networks.

United Nations Register ofDamage Caused by the Con-struction of the Wall in theOccupied Palestinian Territory(UNRoD). US$300,000. To support the final phase ofUNRoD’s program to documentthe damage caused by the separa-tion wall and assist affected Pales-tinians register their legal rightsto lost property, including land.


OFID DIARY

The Director-General welcomes Dr William Warren Smith, president of theCaribbean Development Bank, for discussions regarding potential shared projects.

Rajiva Misra, Ambassador of India to Austria, met with Director-General Al-Herbish to discuss a pending energy project.


OFID DIARY

Meetings attended by OFID

www.ofid.org

MARCH 31–APRIL 1VIENNA, AUSTRIAUnited Nations Seminar on Assistanceto the Palestinian People

APRIL 8–11 INCHEON, KOREAUnited Nations Development Coopera-tion Forum (UN-DCF), High Level Symposium and Global Partnership forEffective Development Cooperation—Steering Committee Meeting

APRIL 15–20WASHINGTON DC, USAWorld Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings

APRIL 23-24VIENNA, AUSTRIASE4All Energy Access Committee Meeting

APRIL 27–28BERLIN, GERMANYMeeting of Senior Officials of theDeauville Partnership and the ‘Respon-sible Financial Inclusion for Social In-clusion and Stability’ Conference

MAY 2–5BAKU, AZERBAIJAN48th Annual Meeting of the Board ofGovernors, of the Asian DevelopmentBank

MAY 3–5WASHINGTON DC, USAWorld Bank and IMF International Fi-nance Institutions Heads of Human Re-sources Conference

MAY 5–6 RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIAEuromoney Saudi Arabia Conference

MAY 5LAXENBURG, AUSTRIA12th Meeting of the Vienna Energy Club

MAY 10–16ROME, ITALY The Foundation for World Wide Coop-eration Conference

MAY 13–15TBILISI, GEORGIA24th Annual Meeting of the EuropeanBank for Reconstruction and Develop-ment

MAY 18–20NEW YORK, USA2nd United Nations SE4ALL Forum

MAY 20–21BASSETERRE, ST KITTS AND NEVIS45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the CaribbeanDevelopment Bank

MAY 26–28TROMSØ, NORWAY The World Petroleum Council Leadership Conference ‘ResponsibilityCooperation Sustainability’

MAY 25–29ABIDJAN, CÔTE D’IVOIRE50th Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank and the 41st AnnualMeeting of the Africa DevelopmentFund

JUNE 3–4VIENNA, AUSTRIA6th OPEC International Seminar

JUNE 4–5PARIS, FRANCEAmundi World Investment Forum 2015

JUNE 9–11MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE40th Annual Islamic Development Bankmeeting

JUNE 10–13BALI, INDONESIAInternational Student Energy Summit

JUNE 18–20VIENNA, AUSTRIAVienna Energy Forum

JUNE 22–26VIENNA, AUSTRIA5th Science and Technology Conferenceof the Preparatory Commission for theComprehensive Nuclear-test-ban TreatyOrganization (CTBTO)

Director-General Al-Herbish was a keynote speaker at May’s World Petroleum Council LeadershipConference in Tromsø, Norway.

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Governing Board Chairman Abdulwahab A Al-Bader (center) with Director-General Al-Herbish (second from left) and othermembers of OFID Senior Management.

Mr Muwafaq Taha Ezzulddin,Alternate Governor, Iraq


OFID DIARY

Meeting in its 151st Session in Vienna, Austria on July 22, the Governing Board approved US$336m towards new development operations in over 30 partner countries. Of the total amount, someUS$247m will co-finance 12 public sector projectsacross a range of sectors, namely energy, trans-portation, education, agriculture and water supply. Three transactions totaling US$40m were approvedin favor of the private sector and included a maidenprivate sector education initiative, which will offersupport to financial institutions in Africa for theprovision of funds to schools and students. Freshtrade financing amounted to US$45m and will support import and export activities in Burkina Faso, Turkey and Mongolia. Grants accounted forjust over US$4.2m of the new approvals and com-prised funding for eight initiatives in a variety of sectors. Further details of public sector and grant approvals can be found in the Diary.

151st Session of the Governing Board

Dr Mokhtar Abozrida, Governor, Libya

Mr Farid Tiaiba, Governor, Algeria

Mr Bader Ahmed Al Qayed, Governor, Qatar

Dr Ahmed Abdulkarim Alkholifey, Governor, Saudi Arabia


OFID DIARY

LOAN SIGNATURE

US$77m in new loans for Sri LankaMr Al-Herbish shakes hands with Sandresh Ravindra Karunanayake,Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka, following the signature of loanagreements for two new transportation projects that will rehabili-tate important road infrastructure.

Madagascar secures two loans worth US$22.5mFrançois Maurice Gervais Rakotoarimanana,

Minister of Finance, Economy and Budget, signed the agreements for the projects, which will boost energy access and agricultural productivity.

US$15m loan marks resumption of cooperation with St LuciaSt Lucia’s Prime Minister and Minister of FinanceKenny D Anthony initialed the agreement for a project to upgrade some 27km of main and second-ary roads in the capital Castries and the northwest,benefiting around 95,000 people.


OFID DIARY

The full list of loan and grant signatures can be found on pages 52-54.

China receives US$35m for vocational educationMr Al-Herbish and Shaolin Yang, Director-General of International Economic and Financial Cooperation,conclude the agreement, which will support the construction of a vocational school and campus in thecity of Laibin.

US$18m to Chad for road construction Mariam Mahamat Nour, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation,signed the agreement for the projectwhich will benefit some 174,000 people.The Minister also signed an Agreementfor the Encouragement and Protection ofInvestment.

US$27m for hospital expansion in EgyptNaglaa El-Ahwany, Minister of International Cooperation, speaks at the signature ceremony for the loan in support of the expansion and rehabilitation of Cairo’s Ain Shams University Hospital


OFID DIARY


OFID’s project officers travel far and wide in theexecution of their duties, often risking theirpersonal safety for the greater good. Little, how-ever, could have prepared experienced privatesector officer, Ramina Samii, for the terror ofbeing caught up in the massive 7.8 magnitudeearthquake that struck Nepal on April 25. Here, she shares her story with the Quarterly.

Interview by Audrey Haylins

The day the earth

shook

SPOTLIGHT

PHOTO: REUTERS/ADNAN ABIDI

OQ: Why were you in Nepal?

RS: I was there with about 70 other people fromvarious partner institutions and investors for adue diligence mission on a hydro plant that we’relooking at together. We visited the project site,which is around 70km and a five-hour drive fromKathmandu, on Tuesday. April 21. Although myofficial duties were over by Thursday night, I hadelected to extend my stay until Sunday in orderto do some sightseeing, as it was my first visit toNepal.

OQ: Where were you when the earthquake struck?

RS: I was alone in the temple of a monastery inthe hills above the Kathmandu Valley. I remem-ber it was a few minutes before noon when theground started shaking violently. I was sitting onthe floor at the time, and my first instinct was toget out of the building as quickly as possible, as Iknew straight away it was an earthquake. I triedseveral times to get to my feet, but with theground shifting beneath me, even that simplemovement was extremely difficult. All aroundme glass was shattering and ornaments werefalling. It was very scary and I was trembling withfear. I managed to make it to the door but was un-able to open it. In the end, I had to climb out awindow into the garden, where all the nuns hadgathered.

OQ: What happened in the immediate aftermath ofthe quake?

RS: There were strong aftershocks for a goodhour and a half. For me, this was the most terri-fying part. I kept thinking that the ground wouldcrack open or that a piece of the mountain wouldcome crashing down on top of us. I felt really iso-lated—my phone had no service and I desper-ately wanted to contact my family. I had to getoff the mountain and back to the city, but thenuns wouldn’t hear of it. Eventually, I insisted,only to find that the iron gates to the monasteryhad collapsed, barring the exit. It was very trickyclimbing over the tangle of metal, but I managedit. My driver had gone, so I had no choice but toset off on foot. I judged there was about five to sixhours of daylight left and that I could make itdown to the valley before nightfall. Luckily, amotorbike came by and I was able to get a lift. Wepassed through several villages on the way down,and people were gathered outside. The eeriestthing was the deathly silence.

OQ: How extensive was the damage in Kathmandu?

RS: The destruction was far less than I expected.As it’s a seismic zone, buildings are generally con-structed to withstand earthquakes of up to a

magnitude of ten. However, even although myhotel was structurally sound, all the guests wereobliged to remain outside in the courtyard untilmuch later in the afternoon, when it was deemedsafe to go to our rooms and collect our belong-ings. During this time, the hotel manager—alovely German woman who was unruffledthroughout—distributed food and water. It washer cheerfulness, together with the fact that �


SPOTLIGHT

OFID in Nepal

Co-financiers gather at the site of the hydro plant whichwas the subject of April’s due diligence mission.

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OFID and Nepal have been partners in development for nearly 30 years. Working closely with the government, OFID has providednumerous low-interest loans for projects in sectors such as agriculture,education, energy, telecommunications, transportation, and water andsanitation. At the same time, the Himalayan country has benefited fromseveral grant-f inanced activities targeting the neediest communities.These efforts have helped to improve living standards for millions ofpeople. In 2014, OFID approved its first private sector project in Nepal:a hydropower scheme.

In the wake of the April earthquake, OFID provided a US$300,000grant in support of the emergency operations conducted by the NepalRed Cross Society. Commenting, OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish said: “It is soul destroying when a disaster like this hits acountry such as Nepal, where there has been noticeable progress inrecent years. As a committed partner, we shall use all resources at ourdisposal to help the country rebuild and get its development back ontrack.”

� there was no shouting or running or hysteriaamong the Nepalese themselves, that helped mecalm down. My preoccupation was still my fam-ily, however, so I was relieved to find that Wi-Fiwas working and I could finally get a message tomy mother. I spent the night sitting in the hotellobby near the door, running outside every timea fresh aftershock hit.

OQ: Were you concerned about how you would getout of the country?

RS: Yes, of course. I was scheduled to fly out thefollowing day, but I didn’t even know if the air-port would be open. I figured that if the runwayor the tower was damaged, it would take ten daysto get the airport operational again. Also, therewas a question mark as to whether the commer-cial airlines would even fly, so I was building allkinds of scenarios in my head, preparing myselffor the possibility of an evacuation or even tryingto get to India by road.

OQ: So how did you finally get back to Austria?

RS: I was in constant touch via Wi-Fi with my sis-ter in the USA and she was able eventually to letme know that my airline was flying as planned.So, the next morning, I went very early to the air-port and found it inundated with thousands ofwould-be passengers. Although it’s an interna-tional airport, it only has five gates, and theywere struggling to cope. China and India had laidon a lot of extra flights to evacuate their hugenumbers of nationals, and there were also a lot ofmilitary planes from Pakistan and India bringingin aid. That said, the ground staff were remark-ably competent, cheerful and calm the wholetime, and there was actually some kind of orderto the chaos. I was extremely happy and relievedwhen my aircraft finally took off.

OQ: Your PhD thesis was on disaster management,so it’s an issue you’re very familiar with. How did itfeel to be caught up in a real-life disaster—did the re-ality match your expectations?

RS: The sheer terror I felt was very real, but as anobserver, everything played out exactly as I knewit would. There were no real surprises. EverythingI witnessed on the ground and everything that’sstill unfolding now two weeks later, I touchedupon to some degree in my thesis. Preparednessis one such topic, and a crucial one at that. Mas-sive earthquakes like this hit Nepal every 80 yearsor so, so this one was expected, and the govern-ment had been having help with preparednesswork. This is no easy task in a country that is somountainous. In the past ten years, all newbuildings have been constructed to seismic regu-lations, but for the poor people who live in ram-shackle homes, literally clinging to the sides ofmountains, their situation is hopeless.

OQ: Has this experience made you re-evaluate yourjob in any way?

RS: Not really. After many years in the develop-ment business, I’m used to a certain level of dis-comfort and even risk when on mission. It’s partof the job. However, I’m not naive. I know there’sa very strong possibility that if the earthquakehad happened on the day of the site visit, wewould all have been affected. Its epicenter wassome 30km from the project, and the whole areawas severely hit by landslides. But I don’t dwellon these thoughts. My attitude is that we live ina world where things like this happen. I gotlucky; all I suffered was a small cut on my hand.Maybe someone, somewhere was looking out forme. Whatever the case, the experience is notgoing to stop me doing the job I enjoy. �


“… the experience is notgoing to stop me doing

the job I enjoy.”Ramina Samii

SPOTLIGHT

Although modern structures in Nepal are generally constructed to withstand earthquakes, older buildings are not so well protected.

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he currencies listed here may soundalien to most people: somoni (Tajik-

istan), dram (Armenia), leu (Moldova), lek(Albania), birr (Ethiopia), cedi (Ghana), ari-ary (Madagascar), or rupiah (Indonesia),dong (Vietnam), lempira (Honduras), quet-zal (Guatemala), and nuevo sol (Peru), aswell as guarani (Paraguay).

But they all have one thing in com-mon: they are “soft” currencies and, assuch, unutilized in international financialtransactions. If a company’s revenue isbased on a soft currency, it is next to impos-sible to obtain long term credit in the samecurrency. Usually, credit is available only in“hard” currencies, such as US dollars oreuros.

And here’s the anomaly: businessowners in developing countries shouldnever borrow in hard currencies becausetheir income is in local currency. Histori-cally, their soft, local currency always

depreciates against hard currency, so bor-rowers face the risk of paying back severaltimes the amount they initially borrowed.

So, local entrepreneurs that want toinvest to grow their business do not haveaccess to the right financial product. Theycannot finance a long term investmentwith a short term loan, and they should notbe forced to take the currency risk thatcomes with a long term loan in hard cur-rency.

Under such conditions, countrieswith weak currencies generally find them-selves alienated from the international development arena and with stalled eco-nomic growth.

“TCX was founded in response to thissituation,” said Ruurd Brouwer, in an inter-view with the Quarterly during his visit toOFID Headquarters in May. Brouwer was accompanied by his senior VP and head ofresearch, Harald Hirschhofer.

Taking the currency risk awayAccording to Brouwer, banks tend to of-fload currency risk to the people least ableto carry it. TCX’s approach is to tell thebanks: “We will change a dollar loan into alocal currency loan for you to disburse ascredits to local businesses. We will takeaway your currency depreciation risks.”

The approach works because TCX isoperating in almost 50 different countriesand currencies. “During the tenure of thecredit, there will be currencies that experi-ence value depreciation and some that be-come more valuable. Moreover, the localcurrency loan comes with local interestrates that generally are somewhat higherthan the dollar interest. By combining allthe different currencies and the differentinterest rates, we don’t lose money and theend clients of our investors get loans intheir own currency,” Brouwer explained. �


PERSPECTIVES

Why local currency matters for development

One obstacle that remains rampant in developing countries is the dearth of development funding in local currencies. Here, Ruurd Brouwer,

CEO of the Currency Exchange Fund (TCX), explains how his institution is working to plug this important gap.

by Arya Gunawan Usis

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� He continued: “It is the distribution ofrisk, combined with a very conservativecapitalization structure, economies of scaleand the concentration of unique resourcesthat make TCX’s business model a success.”

Established in 2007 by FMO, the Dutchdevelopment bank, TCX has since attractedinvestment from more than 20 develop-ment finance institutions (DFIs), includingEBRD, the International Finance Corpora-tion, the African Development Bank andothers from Germany, France, Belgium,Japan and Spain. In 2008, OFID also sup-ported the initiative by investing US$20m.

TCX’s services involve fairly complexderivative calculations. However, in princi-ple, TCX absorbs the foreign exchange andinterest rate risks associated with long-termfunding. Risk taken over by TCX from itsclients—which are mostly its own share-holders—must be kept by TCX itself.

TCX works on the basis of ‘additional-ity’; it only provides currency hedges if themarket does not offer a solution. It also ap-plies a ‘non speculation’ principle. Thismeans that TCX only supports investmentin the real sector, and not any form of cur-rency speculation.

Brouwer believes in the powerful de-velopmental impact of TCX. “By making

long-term, risk-free local currency loansavailable, we are helping to reduce the ex-cessive reliance on short-term debt thatcharacterizes lending in frontier markets,”he argued.

“This lowers the probability of self-fueling liquidity crises, supports long-termfinancial inflows—mainly from DFIs—contributes to an overall strengthening ofthe balance sheets of corporate and finan-cial institutions, and enhances the re-silience and growth potential of emergingeconomies.”

Although long-term local currencyloans usually have a higher interest ratecompared to loans in hard currencies, thebenefits available to the borrowers aremuch greater.

“First and foremost, they will not beaffected by the exchange value deprecia-tion,” explained Brouwer. “Secondly, thefunding by its very nature is more secure, sobusiness can be conducted in a more stableway. And the third advantage is that, if theworld is struck again by a financial crisis like2008, the debtors will not be hit so hard.This is also an important advantage for theforeign lender, such as OFID. A borrowerthat is protected from currency deprecia-tion has a more attractive credit risk.”

Pushing for more growth Brouwer was at OFID Headquarters to re-port on the performance of TCX and its fu-ture strategic development planning, andalso to see if there were ways to help OFID’sclients get better access to local currency fi-nancing. He admitted to the Quarterly thathe was proud of TCX’s role as a marketmaker and of its impact in making a differ-ence in forgotten corners of the world.

“The most important tangible result isthis almost US$4bn worth of local currencyfinancing that otherwise would not havebeen provided. It’s significant, becauseprior to TCX it did not happen at all,” saidBrouwer, who has been CEO of TCX sinceJanuary 2015.

He is mindful, nonetheless, of thehuge challenges and in particular thegrowth of the fund. Of the US$4bn hedgedby TCX, the bulk has been for loans to smalland medium enterprises. “Most project fi-nance transactions, for example in infra-structure for the energy sector, are stillfinanced with US dollars. This is a big op-portunity and it is wide open. If we look atthe energy sector, renewable energy, localinfrastructure, the market is a hundredtimes bigger than what we cater for today,”he stressed.

It is in this area that Brouwer wouldlike to see intensified cooperation withOFID. “The best way to finance renewableenergy projects is with a long-term fixed-rate loan in local currency. This is not yetavailable in the markets where OFID oper-ates, but we are developing it,” he revealed.

As a trailblazer in local currency hedgefunding, TCX has paved the way forother—mostly commercial—banks to fol-low in its footsteps. In many countries,though, it continues to hold a monopoly inthis sector, a fact that Brouwer surprisinglyfinds disturbing rather than pleasing.

“The market for local currency financ-ing is so huge that new players would onlyhelp develop it. The more players, the betterit is for the markets, the better it is for devel-opment. For this reason, I would love tolose our monopoly,” he acknowledged. �


PERSPECTIVES

CEO Ruurd Brouwer believes strongly in the powerful developmental impact of the unique services provided by TCX.

hen the Sustainable Energy for AllInitiative was created in 2011 by UN

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, OFID hadlong been focusing on work on the groundto address energy poverty. That’s why OFIDwas chosen to be part of the high-levelgroup that would recommend an ActionAgenda upon which stakeholders couldmake commitments that would promotefull energy access by 2030.

SE4ALL’s goal is to draw more contributionto sustainable energy from the public andprivate sectors as well as civil society by2030 by focusing on three interlinked objectives: ensuring universal access tomodern energy, doubling the rate of im-provement in energy efficiency and dou-bling the share of renewable energy.

The Second Sustainable Energy for AllForum drew more than 1,500 attendees,

including global leaders in government, civilsociety, business and international organiza-tions and featured 70 dialogue sessions.Among the key outcomes was the launch ofthe first-ever Global Energy Ministerial aswell as the presentation of the second bien-nial SE4ALL Global Tracking Framework.

“This year we can flip the switch tolight up a new future,” said Mr Ban via avideo message. “... 2015 is a time for globalaction.”

Thanks to that groundwork, May’sSE4ALL Forum advanced the cause of pro-viding energy access to the world’s poor atan especially pivotal time. Later on thisyear, two key conferences will determinethe direction of international develop-ment for years to come. September’s UNSummit will set the post-2015 Sustainable �


CONFERENCE WATCH

Event: Second Sustainable Energy for All Forum

Theme: Financing Sustainable Energy for All

Hosted by: Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL)

Venue: New York City, USA

Date: May 18–21, 2015

by Faris Hasan and Nicholas Smith

In a year of important meetings that will determine thedirection of sustainable development, May’s SE4ALLForum in New York City built key momentum in movingenergy up the global development agenda.

SE4ALL conference kicks off pivotalyear in sustainable development

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Members of the SE4ALL Advisory Board.

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� Development Goals, while the aim of December’s UN Climate Change Confer-ence in Paris will be to reach an agreementto limit the global temperature increase to2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.

“All of us here today have a great re-sponsibility. Future generations will judgeus harshly if we fail to uphold our moraland historical duties in this year of action,”said UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Elias-son. “Working together, we can light ruralclinics, empower local businesses, invigor-ate economies and protect the environ-ment.”

Commitments to kilowatt hoursThe overarching theme of this edition ofthe forum was “Financing Sustainable En-ergy for All.” SE4ALL’s Finance Committeeunderscored the importance of lesseningthe investment risk for the private sector aswell as developing a pipeline of bankableprojects at scale. Representatives from theWorld Bank presented a progress report onits Readiness for Investment in SustainableEnergy (RISE) tool, which assesses govern-ment support for private investment in sus-tainable energy projects. The program’sinitial pilot covers 17 countries, with aplanned global rollout that would reachmore than 100 nations.

Echoing the need for private invest-ment, a high-level panel on African energyfinance stressed the importance of public-private partnerships to bring power, partic-

ularly to rural areas. The panelists men-tioned that speeding up renewable energyinvestment and encouraging private sectorengagement would jumpstart economic de-velopment and stabilize the food supply.

One African energy program in partic-ular was highly featured at the forum. Sene-galese-American hip-hop star Akon was onhand to promote his solar power for thepoor project, Akon Lighting Africa. Themulti-platinum-selling singer’s presencegave a boost to the issue—especially on social media—among an audience whomight not grasp the importance of the en-ergy poverty issue. “I want my fans to real-ize that we all have a role to play inachieving sustainable energy for all,” he

wrote during the first day of the conferenceto his 5.8 million followers on Twitter.

Thione Niang, Akon Lighting Africa’scofounder, described his upbringing with-out access to electricity and vowed that hewould not rest until “every African has theenergy they deserve.”

“I grew up trying to beat the sun so Icould do my homework before the sunwent down,” Niang said. “We take this fightvery personally because we grew up know-ing the disadvantages of not having elec-tricity.”

Measuring momentumAnother key presentation was the secondbiennial Global Tracking Framework,which measured the progress towardsachieving SE4ALL’s three goals over thepast several years.

“We are heading in the right directionto end energy poverty,” said AnitaMarangoly George, Senior Director of theWorld Bank’s Energy and Extractives GlobalPractice, “but we are still far from the finishline.”

Delivering sustainable energy hasmade progress since 2010, but there is stillmuch ground to cover before the 2030 tar-get date. For instance, the report’s datashowed that from 2010 to 2012, 222 millionpeople worldwide had gained access to electricity, but 1.1 billion are still in need ofa reliable source of energy. Similarly, 125million people, more than the populationof Mexico, gained access to clean and modern cooking fuel, moving away fromharmful traditional fuels like firewood or


CONFERENCE WATCH

OFID’s Faris Hasan speaking at the session on the water-food-energy nexus, which considered issues includ-ing implementation, stakeholder dialogue and renewable energy.

OFID Director-General Al-Herbish (left) and Moderator Matthew Bishop during the panel session discussionon the strategies needed to ensure universal energy access by 2030.

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charcoal that 2.9 billion people still resortto using.

The framework mentioned that inorder to achieve SE4ALL’s goals over thenext 15 years, an annual investment ofUS$1.25tr is required, about three times thecurrent levels. Additionally, the right poli-cies and strategies are needed in individualcountries to enable a sustainable businessenvironment.

A golden opportunity for the “golden thread”The SE4ALL Forum also saw the launch ofthe first-ever Global Energy Ministerial Dialogue, which took place during the lasttwo days of the conference. A policy discus-sion the first day of the dialogue was fol-lowed on the second by a look at the futureof energy with the goal of reaffirming theRio+20 determination “to act to make sus-tainable energy for all a reality.”

In speaking about the need for an effective energy policy, Kandeh Yumkella,Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Chief Executive of SE4ALL,said that Africa was not just a source of rawmaterials but the “next frontier for energy,”adding that “without energy, countries be-come failed states unable to handle crisessuch as Ebola.”

Major themes discussed during thisportion of the forum included increasinginvestment levels, advancing clean energytechnology, creating official developmentassistance to aid least developed countries,and the importance of international coop-eration in helping developing countries address their financing, technical and capacity-building needs.

Ban Ki-moon has called energy the“golden thread” that links economicgrowth and social equality, benefits thatreach far beyond merely delivering electric-ity. In keeping with the Secretary-General’sidea, Mr Yumkella said in his closing re-marks that “energy is about human devel-opment” and that 4.3 million women andchildren die every year because of house-hold air pollution caused by using tradi-tional cooking fuels, more than HIV/AIDS,malaria and tuberculosis combined.

“If you care about health, if you careabout women and children, let us givethem energy services,” he said. “So ulti-mately, SDG 7 is about saving lives. It’sabout creating prosperity.” �


CONFERENCE WATCH

OFID Director-General Suleiman Al-Herbish and Corporate Planning and Economic Services Director Faris Hasan represented OFID at the SE4ALLForum, participating in several panel discussions.

In keeping with the overall theme of the conference, Mr Al-Herbish took part ina panel titled “Financing Sustainable Energy for All” where he emphasized theurgent need for energy access and that success in delivering power to the 1.1 billion people living without it depends on a technology-neutral approach.The Director-General added that energy access had to go beyond “basic access,”since all sectors of the economy depend on a reliable source of energy to beproductive.

Mr Al-Herbish also spoke at the high-level panel “Achieving Sustainable Energyfor All by 2030—Ensuring Universal Access.” The Director-General highlightedOFID’s Energy for the Poor Initiative, which pledged in 2012 a minimum ofUS$1bn to alleviate energy poverty. He reiterated that while the initial commit-ment was a one-time pledge, it had since been turned into a revolving fund.

Mr Hasan provided key input into a panel about how the large natural gas discovery in eastern and southern Africa could be an enabler for socioeconomicgrowth. He also spoke on a panel titled “The Clean Energy Mini-Grids High Impact Opportunity” and stated how the potential of mini-grids to signif icantlyimprove access to energy in poor developing countries had not yet fully beenrealized. OFID’s work in applying the water-food-energy nexus in the f ield withco-lead Renewable Energy and Energy Eff iciency Partnership (REEEP) was featured in a panel devoted to nexus-related High Impact Opportunities.

OFID at SE4ALL

OFID Director-General Al-Herbish (right) took part in the panel “Financing Sustainable Energy for All.”

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he fourth biennial Vienna EnergyForum (VEF) brought together more

than 2,500 high-ranking government offi-cials, experts in the field, policy-makers andenergy practitioners to engage in a multi-stakeholder dialogue on sustainable energyfor inclusive development. The capital’sHofburg Palace hosted discussions on pol-icy, finance, partnerships, technology, ca-pacity building and knowledgemanagement at a time when the focus onsustainable energy development continuesto gain global traction.

Building on the groundwork laid bythe previous three VEFs, as well as the over-arching goals of Sustainable Energy for All(SE4ALL), the three-day event emphasizedthe numerous opportunities of the post-2015 development agenda and climateplans and showcased the best practices andactions on the ground. Trends such as pop-ulation growth and urbanization were alsodiscussed as well as the resulting increase inenergy demand. Other topics included

South-South cooperation and strengthen-ing the water-food-energy-health nexus.

“We need to transform the world’s en-ergy systems by taking a fresh, joined-upapproach that can fuel development and atthe same time combat climate change,”said Dr Kandeh Yumkella, Special Represen-tative of the UN Secretary-General and CEOof SE4ALL, in his keynote address. “We canchange the game by mobilizing multipleplayers—public sector, private sector andcivil society—to work together in new part-nerships and leverage the necessary large-scale investment.”

Previous forums advocated for a sepa-rate energy development goal, raised theprofile of the UN Secretary General’sSE4ALL Initiative and contributed to theadvancement of the post-2015 develop-ment agenda. This year’s forum fell at an es-pecially important time. In the monthsahead, several landmark summits will de-termine energy’s place in the global devel-opment outlook. The International


CONFERENCE WATCH

Event: Vienna Energy Forum

Theme: Sustainable Energy for Inclusive Development

Hosted by: UNIDO, SE4ALL, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austrian Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs, Austrian Development Agency

Venue: Hofburg Palace, Vienna, Austria

Date: June 18–20, 2015

by Namat Abu Al-Soof and Mohammad Al-Sheha

Lighting the way toward inclusive energy developmentIn an important year for international development,the latest Vienna Energy Forum examined ways tokeep energy at the heart of the global agenda.

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UNIDO Director-General LI Yong.

Conference on Financing for Developmentin Addis Ababa in July could potentially re-sult in an intergovernmental agreement.The new Sustainable Development Goalswill be set at September’s UN Summit. TheParis Climate Change Conference (alsoknown as the UNFCCC COP21) aims toreach an agreement to limit the acceptableglobal temperature increase.

Speaking at the opening of the VEF,UNIDO Director-General LI Yong said: “En-ergy systems can be overhauled to supporta sustainable future; they need to be afford-able, reliable and environmentally sound.”

Director-General Yong also relayed amessage to the forum from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said: “You meetat a crucial juncture in world affairs. In themonths ahead, we have once-in-a-genera-tion opportunities to steer the world to-wards truly sustainable development and totake ambitious steps to address the threat ofclimate change.”

Energy and the nexus approachReferring to energy as the “central nervoussystem of the world economy,” MichaelLinhart, Secretary-General of the AustrianFederal Ministry for European and Interna-tional Affairs, said: “The program of thisyear’s VEF reflects the manifold ways inwhich energy comes into play: as a nexuswith other sustainable development goals,as a driver for urban development and aspart of mutual linkages with gender equal-ity and the empowerment of women.”

The various speakers acknowledgedthat SE4ALL had helped to bring everyoneto the table, but that the challenge now was

to implement the necessary policies and reforms on a country level. Each countryneeded to have its own tailor-made planthat took domestic resources into account,in particular the level of available funding.There was a general consensus that a thorough and broad-backed energy planneeded to be integrated into each nationalstrategy.

Along with delivering energy access,the two other SE4ALL objectives—doublingenergy efficiency and renewable energy—were also discussed at the forum. Invest-ment in renewables reached US$270bn in2014, nearly matching its peak of US$279bn

set in 2011. Although investment grew indeveloping countries, it fell in developedcountries. This may create a situationwhere certain developing countries con-tribute more than some developed ones to increase the share of renewables. China,for example, is planning to convert from a coal-based system to a completely non-fossil fuel-based one by 2050.

With regard to energy efficiency, newregulatory standards, such as in manufac-turing, will be key to scaling up to moreproductive systems. This is how some coun-tries have been able to significantly increaseefficiency in a relatively short period oftime. According to the International En-ergy Agency, there is currently aroundUS$300bn per year in investment in energyefficiency programs. For the upcomingCOP21, energy efficiency will be a key topicin discussions about decreasing carbonemissions.

How to finance energy projects wasanother popular topic at the forum. Theconsensus was that the appropriate regula-tory regime had to be in place to mitigaterisk and attract the necessary investments.This was deemed particularly relevant forlow-income countries, since middle-income countries are more established andtherefore require less support to attract investment. According to the forum partic-ipants, there is plenty of money out �


CONFERENCE WATCH

From left: Vijay Modi, Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Director, Sustainable Engineering Lab, ColumbiaUniversity; Kandeh Yumkella, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and CEO, SE4ALL; OFID Director-General Al-Herbish; Dr Wolsey Barnard, South Africa’s Department of Energy.


CONFERENCE WATCH

OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish delivered a keynotespeech at a high-level panel session titled “Ending Energy Pover ty—Concrete Commitments and Action on the Ground,” where he urgedpartner countries to set a higher priority for energy access projects intheir national plans and poverty reduction strategies.

“The sheer magnitude of the funds needed to combat energy povertyunderlines the need for contributions from all stakeholders: concernedgovernments, the international donor community, civil society and theprivate sector,” he said. “This suggests that development priorities willhave to be modif ied, policies adjusted and attitudes changed.”

In his speech Mr Al-Herbish also outlined OFID’s instrumental role in“pushing energy poverty up the global action agenda” and highlightedOFID’s fruitful partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders. The goal,the Director-General said, was not just to leverage resources but alsoto pool expertise and pursue new opportunities.

“Our objective is ensuring access to modern energy services in a tech-nology-neutral manner,” he said. “From our experience, there is no one-size-f its-all solution. The energy mix should satisfy the basic energyneeds of the poor in accordance with the conditions of each country.”Addressing the forum, the Director-General said OFID’s priority wasenergy access, especially in delivering it to rural areas, which vastly out-weighed the urban sector in terms of energy poverty.

At the closing ceremony of the VEF 2015 on June 20, UNIDO Director-General LI Yong presented Mr Al-Herbish with an award to thank OFIDfor its support and contribution to the forum over the years. A specialthank you was also given for OFID’s leading role in the f ight against energy poverty.

OFID at VEF

UNIDO Director-General LI Yong presents Mr Al-Herbish with an award in recognitionof OFID’s longstanding support and contribution to the forum.

� there; the question now is how to bridgethe gap between potential and need. Thepublic and private sectors have alreadybeen operating both on their own and inpartnership; increasing their combined re-sources even further would ease the financ-ing process.

Last but not least, the participants rec-ognized that the SDGs had to be looked atas a whole, instead of a series of separatesilos. Since synergy among the goals is sostrong, a wrong approach could easily havea negative impact on the overall success.The water-food-energy nexus (SDGs 6, 2and 7, respectively) was considered espe-cially integral for the facilitation of all theother SDGs. Focusing on one aspect of thenexus to the detriment of the other two, forinstance, would do little to solve the largerproblem. Therefore, international initia-tives and cooperation were required to ex-pedite the transfer and introduction of newtechnologies. For Goal 7 (ensuring univer-sal access to affordable, sustainable andmodern energy), a clear and comprehen-sive definition of access would have to beestablished in order for all stakeholders tomake useful progress.

Presenting a unified messageAfter three days of discussions and deliber-ations, the organizers of the VEF shared aproposal covering eight separate points.First, attendees recommended that the UNGeneral Assembly approve the SDGs in September, in particular goals 7 (universalenergy access) and 9 (build resilient infra-structure and sustainable industrialization).Secondly, climate action is inextricablylinked to action on the sustainable develop-ment goals. Thirdly, the potential of energyefficiency will go untapped unless effectivepolicies and measures are put in place.Next, to meet the energy efficiency and re-newable energy objectives, a significant in-crease in investment is needed. Further, thenexus between energy, transport, food,water and health needs to be approached inan integrated manner. Subsequently, agreater effort is needed to strengthen thesynergies between the three objectives ofSE4All. Next, regional approaches and cohesive policy actions are required for lowering transaction costs and promotingeconomies of scale for regional markets andinvestments. Finally, sustainable energyand women’s empowerment are mutuallyreinforcing goals. �

first of its kind in Africa, Nigeria’s Violence Against Persons Prohibition

bill (VAPP) seeks to eliminate domestic andgender-based abuses by criminalizing vio-lence against all persons in public as well asprivate spaces.

The groundbreaking bill was signedinto law by departing President GoodluckJonathan on May 25. Nigeria’s newlyelected President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office four days later.

In a statement to the Quarterly, UnitedNations Population Fund (UNFPA) repre-sentative in Nigeria, Ratidzai Ndhlovu, described the bill’s signing as a “triumphfor women and girls in Nigeria as it providesa framework for legislative action againstperpetrators of gender-based violence.”

She continued: “It is a boost to ourwork to promote the sexual and reproduc-tive health, and reproductive rights ofwomen and young girls. We expect it willcatalyze further action for legislative provi-sions across states and encourage stateswith no legislation to do so.”

Culturally sanctioned practices suchas female genital mutilation (FGM), forcedmarriage and widow abuse are prohibitedunder the new law, as is wilfully placing aperson in fear of physical injury, forcefulejection from the home, forced separationfrom family and friends, and financialabandonment of spouses, children andother dependents.

VAPP was originally titled the Vio-lence Against Women bill. Reintroducedwith broader scope, it now encompassesforms of violence capable of affecting allmembers of society, such as political vio-lence—around elections, for example—andviolence by state actors.

It also acknowledges that offenses pre-viously thought of as specific to females—

for instance, sexual violence—can and doaffect males.

Nigeria’s House of Representativespassed the current bill some two years priorto its Senate approval on May 5 of this year.

Presiding over the session, DeputySenate President, Ike Ekweremadu said thebill would protect the most vulnerablemembers of society.

“The primary responsibility of govern-ment is to protect lives and property, and asa responsible arm of government, our pri-mary responsibility is to enact laws that willnot only protect our people, but also pro-tect their property,” said Ekweremadu.

“Today, we have discharged one of ourresponsibilities to the vulnerable in termsof violence.”

More than a decade in the making,VAPP owes its final passage to a number of

champions both in and outside government. Foremost among them: the Legisla-

tive Action Coalition against ViolenceAgainst Women (LACVAW)—a network ofover 70 civil society groups, religious or-ganizations and human right groups in-cluding UNFPA and the United NationsChildren’s Fund (UNICEF).

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria,Jean Gough, told the Quarterly: “UNICEFis encouraged by the new law…It is ourhope that it will be implemented withvigor and all culprits brought to book.”

An estimated 140 million women andgirls worldwide have undergone some formof FGM, according to the United Nations.

If current trends continue, UN ex-perts predict that an additional 86 milliongirls worldwide will be subjected to thepractice by 2030. �


MEMBER STATES FOCUS

by Nadia Benamara

Nigeria enacts landmark human rights legislation

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The new law is considered a triumph for women and girls as it offers protection against gender-based violence.

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Algeria committed to supporting the insti-tute with a US$50m capital contribution, aswell as US$9.35m in core support for its firstten years of activity. Additional funding isbeing sought from governments, founda-tions and the private sector.

UNU-IRADDA aims to become oper-ational in early 2016. Negotiations con-cerning its founding concluded in late2013 after nearly a decade of consultationsbetween successive UNU rectors and Pro-fessor Mohamed Seghir Babes, Presidentof the National Economic and SocialCouncil. �

resident Abdelaziz Bouteflika ratifiedan agreement for the establishment

of a new United Nations University Insti-tute for Sustainable Development (UNU-IRADDA) on May 13.

Likely to be located within the Univer-sity of Algiers campus in central Algiers,UNU-IRADDA will focus on resolving—through research, postgraduate education,advanced training and the disseminationof knowledge—some of the pressing chal-lenges of sustainable development, partic-ularly as they relate to the Africancontinent.

lobal efforts to make urban environ-ments more resilient to both natural

and man-made disasters gathered momen-tum at the first International Seminar onUrban Disaster Risk Reduction and Manage-ment, May 4-7 in Tehran.

Hosted by Iran’s Red Crescent Society,the initiative attracted more than 100 ex-perts from the International Federation ofRed Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC), United Nations agencies, researchcenters and government bodies.

As part of the Tehran Call for Action,participants pledged to enhance the insti-tutional and operational capacities of theIFRC in urban settings, and to coordinatewith other stakeholders (including civil so-ciety organizations, the private sector andmedia) to build resilience in over fifty citiesby 2020.

“This seminar is an important oppor-tunity for us to plan for the future together,”said Tehran’s Mayor, Dr Mohammad BagherGhalibaf at the event’s opening.

“We must commit to implementing moreeffective measures as people around theworld face increased risks as a result of rapidurbanization.”

Tehran was the subject of one of fivecity-level pilot studies carried out by theIFRC in partnership with the Iranian RedCrescent Society.


Algeria set to launch UN Institutefor Sustainable Development

Urban disaster preparedness:Iran rises to the challenge

CNES President, Mohamed-Seghir Babès (right), andUNU Rector, Professor David M. Malone (left) at apress conference announcing the creation of theUNU-IRADDA in December 2013.

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MEMBER STATES FOCUS

Home to a majority of the world’s population, urban communities—already vulnerable to social, economic and environmental stress—are disproportionately impacted when calamity strikes.

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The inauguration ceremony for the Tehran Disaster Resilience Center was attended by a number of dignitaries,including Esmaeil Najjar, deputy minister of interior and head of NDMO, the national disaster management organization.

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Involving a multi-hazard, people centeredapproach to disaster risk reduction andmanagement, its results informed the sem-inar’s agenda.

Other pilot cities were: Jakarta, In-donesia; Nairobi, Kenya; La Paz, Bolivia;and Yerevan, Armenia.

The Tehran Disaster Resilience Center,established in order to localize best prac-tices and make use of global experiences,also opened this year. Speaking at its April 6 inauguration, Dr Ahmad Sadeghi,president of Tehran’s Disaster Mitigationand Management Organization, said plan-ning for urban risk reduction would requireresearch and cooperation at national, regional and international levels. �


OPEC

or the fourth successive time, the his-toric Hofburg Palace in the Austrian

capital, was chosen as the setting for the pre-mier international event, which has grownto become one of the most important andinfluential global energy gatherings.

Drawn from all parts of the globe, across-section of some of the energy sector’smost influential figures, personalities andstakeholders, assembled in the Hofburg’sgrandiose conference center for the Semi-nar, which was held under the theme ‘Petro-leum: An Engine for Global Development.’

Over a very busy two days, participantswere treated to some 30 presentations cov-ering all aspects of the energy industry, in-cluding global energy outlooks; oil marketstability; production capacity and invest-ment; technology and the environment;and prospects for the world economy. �

Petroleum: An engine forglobal development

FA record 800 participants attended the 6th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna on June 3–4 atwhich high-level speakers addressed the main issuessurrounding today’s international energy markets and spoke of the principal challenges facing the industry going forward.

Courtesy of the OPEC Bulletin

PHOTOS: OPEC


OPEC

OFID urges industry support for energy access

Speaking in Session V, ‘Prospects for theworld economy,’ OFID’s Faris Hasan, Director of Corporate Planning and Eco-nomic Services, delivered a presentationon energy poverty and the potential forthe oil industry to contribute to its eradi-cation. Hasan was representing OFID Director-General, Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish.

After giving some background to theevolution of OFID’s Energy for the PoorInitiative, Hasan went on to explain howthe institution had devised a strategybased on three pillars: advocacy, buildingawareness and momentum; consolidatingand expanding action and projects onthe ground; and building alliances withthe energy industry.

Hasan elaborated that the f irst step had involved framing energy as the“missing Millennium Development Goal”and working in international forums to secure a place in the global developmentagenda for the combating of energypoverty.

“This involved advocacy in UN eventsand seminars, debating with academia,engaging with civil society, and participat-ing in energy conferences over the pasteight years,” he stated.

In terms of action on the ground, he disclosed that OFID had expanded energy projects in all its operational win-dows, including public, private and trade,with resources totaling over US$2.1bn.This sum, he said, included, among others, support to 65 projects with atotal cost of over US$20bn. Collectively,these projects had provided power

exceeding 14,000 megawatts and extended electricity grids by 32,000km.

Hasan stressed that the task of eradicat-ing energy poverty was immense. Therequired capital investment was signif i-cantly high. To reach universal access tomodern energy by 2030, 1.3bn morepeople needed to have access to elec-tricity at an estimated investment ofUS$45bn per year, f ive times the level of 2010.

“This is why energy poverty alleviation is a cause we have championed tirelesslyfor over the past seven years,” declaredHasan.

He said OFID had signed several MOUswith the World Bank, the Asian Develop-ment Bank and others to share andleverage resources for the initiative.

“OFID is tackling energy poverty withina coherent framework based on thethree interdependent and mutually supportive pillars of sustainable develop-ment, namely economic growth, socialprogress and the protection of the environment.

“OFID, through its assistance, supportsthe advancement of the three pillars in abalanced way, meaning that environmen-tal issues should not impede humanpoverty alleviation,” stated Hasan.

In addition, he said, OFID supported energy projects that provided integratedsolutions, were income generating andmaximized local content and ownership.

Fight against energy poverty

“We believe that the f ight against energy poverty should be based onsound economic grounds and be tech-nologically neutral,” he aff irmed.

“With the adoption of the proposed 17Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)by the UN General Assembly in Septem-ber this year, OFID is looking forward to building on this momentum and maxi-mizing the impact of its Energy for thePoor Initiative,” he stated.

“We are also looking forward to furtherdeveloping our partnerships with otherstakeholders, including the petroleum industry and utilizing these synergies todeliver on our mandate.

Faris Hasan, Director of Corporate Planning and Economic Services, OFID


OPEC

� In attendance were OPEC oil and energyministers, non-OPEC oil and energy minis-ters, heads of major oil companies, interna-tional organizations and energy institutions,captains of industry, as well as renowned academics and analysts.

Significant industry gatheringThe OPEC Seminar is today recognized asone of the most significant industry gath-erings in the global energy calendar. This isprimarily due to the caliber of participantsand the high level of discussion that takesplace on all the leading issues affecting theglobal energy sector.

Bringing together strategic playersthat have a bearing on the present and fu-ture direction of the international petro-leum industry, the Seminar has not onlydeveloped a wide outreach across the en-ergy sector, but also encompasses impor-tant related areas, such as the globaleconomy, international finance, sustain-able development, technological processes,energy poverty and the environment.

And with so many challenging devel-opments taking place in the global energysector today, there was plenty for the atten-dees to talk about. Discussions over whatturned out to be a very busy two days wereintense, topical and extremely relevant.

“It is the fourth time we have held theSeminar in this splendid historic building.It has certainly proven to be the perfect set-ting for our high-level deliberations,” com-mented Dr Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada,Alternate President of the OPEC Confer-ence, in his opening remarks to the assem-bled delegates.

Al-Sada, Qatar’s Minister of Energyand Industry, highlighted the importanceof the gathering, explaining that it allowedparticipants to examine in detail the mainissues affecting the oil industry.

“It also provides an important yard-stick as to where we stand today in a globalcontext,” he affirmed.

He informed the audience that overthe next two days they would hear presen-tations and debates on the main facets ofthe global energy scene. “Through the livelydiscussions that are sure to follow, we willundoubtedly learn from one another by ex-changing valuable viewpoints,” he stated.

“And who could be more qualified todiscuss these issues than the men andwomen who have left their indelible mark �

“We would encourage all here today to join us in this noble endeavor. OFIDstands ready to work with all”.

Hasan said that to build on “this richbackground,” he wanted to turn to the third and f inal pillar of OFID’s strat-egy—building an alliance with the energy industry.

“An OFID initiative we value, namedPetroleum Industry Support for Uni-versal Energy Access, is an idea we are pursuing in collaboration with theWorld Petroleum Congress (WPC).And one that was the subject of a jointlyhosted symposium at OFID headquar-ters in Vienna last November,” he said.

The main objective of the initiative wasto devise a platform for the petroleumindustry to advance its contribution toenergy poverty eradication.

“The industry is in a unique position to use its resources—in particular itstechnical expertise and knowledge—to develop creative solutions to theproblem of energy access,” maintainedHasan.

OFID had recently attended the WPCLeadership Conference on Responsi-bility, Cooperation and Sustainability inTromsø, Norway.

“In his keynote speech to the Leader-ship Perspectives Session, OFID’s Director-General Al-Herbish urged oiland gas companies once again to worktogether to design a platform for thepetroleum industry to foster energy access that could be implemented

within the framework of the SE4ALLinitiative,” noted Hasan.

“Such a platform would serve as a hubfor other initiatives involving oil and gascompanies and it would enable thesecompanies to contribute to the newSDGs that have been commonly agreedby the international community.

“I refer in particular to SDG7—‘Ensureaccess to affordable, reliable, sustainableand modern energy for all,’ SDG13—‘Take urgent action to combat climatechange’, and SDG16—‘Promote peace-ful and inclusive societies for sustainabledevelopment.’

Unite on one platform

“So far, we are working with a numberof oil and gas companies to developthis platform, including: Saudi Aramco,Royal Dutch Shell and Total, while oth-ers like Qatar Petroleum, Schlumberger,Eni and Austria’s OMV have shown in-terest.

“We believe that it is an opportunetime for all the petroleum industry to unite on one platform as 2015 willmark the approval of the SDGs, as well as COP21,” said Hasan.

“We wish to reiterate the commit-ments of OFID to continuous andscaled-up actions on the cause of en-ergy access. We also reaff irm our com-mitment to work actively with theenergy industry, along the line spelledout in the Riyadh Declaration [of theThird OPEC Summit] and SE4ALL,” he concluded. �


OPEC

� on the industry and who continue to ca-pably lead it today.

“This includes our own OPEC minis-ters and ministers from other oil-producingcountries, heads of intergovernmental or-ganizations, chief executives of nationaland international oil companies, industryanalysts, academics and the media. Thewisdom and insights from these leaders willundoubtedly enrich our discussions,” headded.

Al-Sada also pointed out that OPECrecognized the importance of developingnew talent in the industry, which is suffer-ing a manpower shortage in a variety ofskill sets, particularly experienced engi-neers.

“For this reason, we invited studentsto attend the Seminar. Through the high-level discussions, they will learn moreabout global energy markets and the role ofoil in the world economy. We welcomethese individuals who will likely carry theindustry’s torch into the future,” he said.

The 12 students that attended were in-vited from OPEC Member Countries, aswell as from the host country, Austria.

SessionsThe Seminar comprised five sessions.

Session I on ‘Global energy outlooks’looked at present and recent trends and en-

ergy outlooks; analyzed the challenges andopportunities facing the energy industry;and reviewed key global and regional en-ergy developments.

Session II on ‘Oil market stability’ saw par-ticipants discuss the importance of cooper-ation in stabilizing the world oil market;debating the role of interaction betweenthe physical and financial markets; and ad-dressing the strengthening of consumer-producer dialogue.

Session III on ‘Production capacity and in-vestment’ had as its objectives assessinghow capacity expansion and investmentsare managed; discussing trends in demandas a determinant of oil upstream invest-ment; and reviewing prospects for enhanc-ing collaboration between national andinternational oil companies.

Moving on to the second day of the Semi-nar, in Session IV, entitled ‘Technology andthe environment’, delegates gave anoverview of technology advancements sup-porting the oil industry; elaborated uponthe role of multilateralism and develop-ments in addressing climate change; andevaluated emerging technologies in thetransportation sector.

Session V was held in the form of a paneldiscussion and covered ‘Prospects for theworld economy.’ It identified the chal-

lenges to the world economy and its impacton the oil market; analyzed the evolvingparadigm in reconciling economic growthand regulations; and reviewed world effortson energy poverty eradication.

In closing remarks to the Seminar,the director of OPEC’s Research division,Dr Omar S Abdul-Hamid, spoke of the“very engaging and fruitful meetings andpresentations we have had over the lasttwo days.”

He continued: “We have had theunique opportunity to hear from many ofthe leading figures in the oil and gas indus-try, not only from OPEC’s Member Coun-tries, but also from other producing andconsuming nations, international oil com-panies, as well as from international organ-izations and academia.”

These distinguished speakers, he said,had provided valuable insights into the en-ergy industry and prospects for the futurethrough the five sessions.

“The high-quality information, dia-logue and discussions we have had togetherin the last two days underpin OPEC’s goalsof supporting stability in the internationaloil markets through dialogue, communica-tion and cooperation with our many stake-holders.

“Let us all continue to work together toensure that we achieve the energy securitythat we all value so much,” he said. �

From left: Abdalla Salem El-Badri, OPEC Secretary-General; Dr Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry, Qatar, and Alternate President of theOPEC Conference; Ali I Naimi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Saudi Arabia.

Parkring 8, A-1010 Vienna, Austria

P.O. Box 995, A-1011 Vienna, Austria

Telephone: (+43-1) 515 64-0

Fax: (+43-1) 513 92-38

www.of id.org

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