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World Without Hunger Conference
- Day 1
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Day 2
- High level opening
- Global leaders debate: A collaborative dialogue on innovative strategies and scalable investment solutions
- Post-harvest management for enhanced food system and nutrition security in Ethiopia
- Innovative solutions for agri-business development: the example of the coffee value chain
- Global leaders debate: Scaling food security impact: Opportunities of cooperation with associations, philanthropists, and development finance institutions
- Investment matchmaking forum
- Presentation of the Transformation Pathways Fund (TPF)
- High-impact solutions to tackle food security
- Bridging technology and investment: The ITP network's approach
- Day 3
The issue:
The world is experiencing a series of global crises with far-reaching consequences, including extreme poverty and hunger. In its 2023 Financing for Sustainable Development Report, the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development emphasized the importance of sustainable economic and industrial development and the need to scale up investment in sustainable industrial transformation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A world without hunger needs a strengthened, sustainable and more resilient agri-business, for which considerable investments and suitable policies are required. However, current overall investment flows are limited. Blended finance can be a bridge to increase access to critical investment capital, advance sustainable practices in the agri-food sector, make it more resilient to climate change and increase its output to feed a growing world population. This session will thus present the Transformation Pathways Fund (TPF), which is an innovative financial mechanism co-designed and co-implemented by UNIDO and its partner Finance in Motion (FiM), a reputable global impact fund manager.
Objectives:
The session will seek to answer the question “What does it take to transform industry to become sustainable and more resilient to contribute to ending hunger, sustainable supply chains and decarbonization?”
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The framework conditions and challenges will be presented.
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The main elements of the Transformation Pathways Initiative (TPI), namely the Transformation Pathways Fund (TPF) and the Transformation Pathways Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) will be introduced.
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The session will present the TPI approach to invest for transformation that will contribute —among other objectives — to a world without hunger.
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It will introduce the model of blended finance, mobilizing private capital for the SDGs.
Key guiding questions:
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Which challenges will be addressed, and which key objectives will be achieved by TPI?
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How can private capital be mobilized for economic transformation in industrializing countries ?
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Which main solutions will be promoted by TPI, and how can UNIDO stakeholders benefit from them?
Expected outcomes:
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The session will have announced and presented the Transformation Pathways Initiative that comprises the Transformation Pathways Fund and the Transformation Pathways Technical Assistance Facility.
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The partnership between UNIDO and Finance in Motion to co-design and co-promote the Transformation Pathways Initiative will be shared with the public.
Session format and structure:
The TPI will be presented by Mr. Gunther Beger (Managing Director, UNIDO), Mr. Karim ould Chih (Chief Advisor Innovative Finance, UNIDO), and Ms. Sarah Hessel (Head of Impact and Sustainable Finance Regulation, Finance in Motion).
Moderator
Ms. Fiona Muthoni Naringwa, Business Journalist and Host, Rwanda Broadcasting Agency
Fiona Muthoni Naringwa is an enthusiastic journalist and adept moderator, recognized for her exceptional skills as one of Rwanda's leading business journalists. She currently hosts a weekly business program on Rwanda Broadcasting Agency and she served as a senior producer and anchor on CNBC Africa's flagship market show, Power Lunch East Africa for 6 years.
Presentation by
Mr. Gunther Beger, Managing Director, Directorate for SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation, UNIDO
Gunther Beger is UNIDO Managing Director of the Directorate for SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation, responsible for the development of innovative services in areas of agro-industry, sustainability standards, fair production, and climate-improving technologies.
Prior he severed as Executive Director for Germany at the World Bank Group, as Director General in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany and held several leadership positions in the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection.
Mr. Karim Ould Chih, Chief Advisor Innvovative Finance, UNIDO
Karim ould Chih is Chief Advisor Innovative Finance with UNIDO in Vienna. He is leading a team to conceptualize and establish the Transformation Pathways Fund to enable SME in the Global South to adopt sustainable business models. Prior to joining UNIDO in 2023, Karim was working +20 years at KfW Development Bank, most lately as Managing Director of a KfW subsidiary to promote green hydrogen in the Global South.
Ms. Sarah Hessel, Head of Impact and Sustainable Finance Regulation, Finance in Motion
Sarah Hessel is Head of Impact and Sustainable Finance Regulation at Finance in Motion, a dedicated impact asset manager and advisor. With 16 global offices, c.300 staff and c.€4bn in assets, Finance in Motion helps investors future-proof their portfolios while driving impact for people and planet. Sarah ensures that Finance in Motion's investments contribute to the funds’ impact goals and that this impact can be measured, managed and reported. The team has developed strong systems for this: Finance in Motion has been selected practice leader in impact management for three years in a row by impact investing audit firm BlueMark. Prior to joining Finance in Motion in 2018, she managed development finance projects as Program Officer at the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with a focus on sustainable supply chains, small business support and local financial sector development.