Important Dates
- Submission Deadline: June 30, 2024
- Notification to authors: July 15, 2024
- Conference date: 23-25, 2024
Publication Opportunities :
The International Journal of Emerging Markets – ISSN: 1746-8809
South African Journal of Business Management – ISSN: 2078-5585
African Journal of Climate Studies – ISSN: 3005-4613
Management and Sustainability: An Arab Review – ISSN: 2752-9819
Africa Growth Dialogues
Sustainable Finance and Impact Investing for Africa
In partnership with the Victoria Forum
Casablanca, Morocco | December 2–4, 2026
The program moves from understanding sustainable-finance instruments and the institutions that supply capital, to examining the needs of African actors seeking finance, the conditions that make projects and enterprises investment-ready, and the ecosystems that connect capital with opportunity. African cases will ground these discussions in practice, before participants work through sector-specific challenges in health, education, energy, and agriculture. Across the Dialogues, the emphasis will be on identifying constraints, connecting perspectives, and developing practical pathways that can continue beyond Casablanca.
Program Overview
Day 1 : Opening
Wednesday, December 2
6 pm – 7 pm Opening Session & Keynote
Rethinking Sustainable Finance for Africa’s
Growth
Obaid Amrane
CEO, Ithmar Capital; Chair, Africa Sovereign Investors Forum
Prior to this appointment, Mr Amrane was Deputy CEO of the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN). He was a member of the Executive Board since its creation in 2010.
His previous experience in the economic and financial areas and his engineering capabilities allowed him to oversee all the procedures and operations within MASEN, from development to legal engineering, partnerships and financing.
From 2006 to 2010, Mr Amrane was the managing director of the Moroccan subsidiary of the BPCE Group to develop the activities of the French banking group in Morocco's banking and real estate sectors. Prior to that, Mr Amrane held various positions in the Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance. He was a Public Finance Inspector, Head of the Debt Restructuring Service at the Treasury Division, and then Head of Credit within the same division.
Mr Amrane holds a dual degree in engineering from Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Finance from the General Inspectorate of Finances and the Association of Investment Management & Research (certification).
CEO, Ithmar Capital; Chair, Africa Sovereign Investors Forum
7 pm – 8:30 pm Welcome Reception
First Encounters, Shared Questions
Day 2 :
Thursday, December 3
9 am – 10:30 am Plenary 1 - Understanding the Instruments:
How Does Sustainable Finance Actually Work?
Youssef Boumaiz
Climate Coordinator, Africa and Middle East, UNEP FI
Climate Coordinator, Africa and Middle East, UNEP FI
Saïd Jabrani
Director General, TAMWILCOM
Said JABRANI has served as Chief Executive Officer of TAMWILCOM (National Company for Enterprise Guarantee and Financing) since May 2025. A graduate of École Centrale Paris with an engineering degree, he brings nearly 20 years of experience in strategic consulting, banking, and finance.
Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions at Bank of Africa and BMCI before joining BNP Paribas Group in Paris, where he oversaw retail banking operations across Africa. In 2023, he joined the Management Board of Crédit du Maroc as the member responsible for Commercial Banking.
With his appointment as CEO of TAMWILCOM, Mr. Jabrani draws on his extensive local and international expertise to strengthen the institution’s strategic role in advancing inclusive financing and promoting entrepreneurship in Morocco, in line with the Kingdom’s economic priorities.
Director General, TAMWILCOM
10:30 am – 10:45 am Networking and Coffee Break
10:45 am – 12:30 pm Plenary 2 - Who Holds the Capital?
Mapping the Suppliers of Sustainable Finance for Africa
Professor, Hassan II University
President, Forum of Chairpersons of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committees of African Parliaments
Isaac Rugamba
Manager, Resource Mobilization and Financial Institution Relations, Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD)
Manager, Resource Mobilization and Financial Institution Relations, Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD)
H.E. Shakilla K. Umutoni
Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Kingdom of Morocco
Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to the Kingdom of Morocco
Lamiaa Merzouki
Casablanca Finance City Authority / WAIFC
Casablanca Finance City Authority / WAIFC
12:30 pm – 2 pm Lunch Break
Location: Casablanca Auditorium,Terrace 3rd Floor
2 pm – 3 pm Workshop 1
The Demand Side : What Do African Actors Need from Sustainable Finance?
Damilola Hamid Balogun
Co-founder/CEO, Youth Sustainable Development Network
Co-founder/CEO, Youth Sustainable Development Network
Benedict Owanga
Founder of Owanga Solar
The company has won numerous awards, including recognition from the World Bank and the African Union.
Founder of Owanga Solar
3:15 pm – 4:15 pm Workshop 2
Strategies to Attract Sustainable Finance: Project Design and Ecosystems
Mehdi Alaoui
Founder and CEO, LaStartupStation
Founder and CEO, LaStartupStation
4:15 pm – 4:30 pm Coffee Break
Location:
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Case Session
What Does Sustainable Finance Look Like in Practice ? African Case Studies
Day 3 :
Friday, December 4
9 am – 11 am Workshop 3
From Gaps to Solutions: Sector Pathways for Sustainable Finance
Kenza Zerrou
Head of Innovative Finance and Impact Investing, World Health Organization (WHO)
At WHO, Kenza founded the Innovative Finance Unit, laying the groundwork for new financial instruments designed around key performance indicators (KPIs) and blended financing models. These efforts have enabled the creation of sustainable, results-driven funding mechanisms that optimize resources for global health priorities.
Beyond WHO, Kenza has extensive experience managing and overseeing cross-sectoral programs in collaboration with key international partners, including the OECD, ILO, EIB, EU, FAO, and OIE. A key driver of resource mobilization and strategic partnerships, she has played a pivotal role in securing funding for innovative finance projects spanning health, education, energy and employment.
Recognized for her ability to bridge policy and investment, Kenza has also led the organization of high-level policy dialogues, international conferences, and donor forums, advancing discussions and fundraising efforts in innovative finance. Her work continues to shape sustainable finance strategies that drive systemic impact at a global scale.
Head of Innovative Finance and Impact Investing, World Health Organization (WHO)
Khadija Owusu
Founder & CEO - AKAYA Foundation
Founder & CEO - AKAYA Foundation
Jessica Mshama
Founder & Director (Nakua Na Taifa Langu)
Jessica founded Nakua Na Taifa Langu, an NGO advancing digital literacy and entrepreneurship among African youth, and serves as School Director of Assumpter Digital Schools in Dar es Salaam. She has represented Tanzanian and East African youth on global platforms, including the UN General Assembly (UNGA77) and COP28.
Her impact has earned her recognition on Forbes 30 Under 30 Africa and 40 Under 40 Africa, among numerous other honors. Jessica remains driven by one conviction: that digital skills and education are the foundation of a more equitable future for Africa’s next generation.
Founder & Director (Nakua Na Taifa Langu)
Abdessamad Faik
Full Professor, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P); Director, LIMSET
Full Professor, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P); Director, LIMSET
Clémence McNulty
Senior Director, ESG, Climate and Sustainability, Africa50
Senior Director, ESG, Climate and Sustainability, Africa50
Ramoudane Orou Sannou
Contextual Risk Specialist, IFC
Contextual Risk Specialist, IFC
Nidal Tafah
Co-Founder, MIRRIAH
Co-Founder, MIRRIAH
Ineza Umuhoza Grace
CEO, The Green Protector
CEO, The Green Protector; opening framing
and co-moderation
11 am – 12:30 pm Closing Plenary
From Dialogue to Pathways for Action
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International Partners
