PIDG Pulse

Welcome to the first episode of Increasing Risk Tolerance to Drive Impact – a podcast series from the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), a Private Infrastructure Development Group company – exploring ways to develop transformative infrastructure in underserved geographies across Africa.

Infrastructure is the lifeblood of Africa’s economies, facilitating a path to prosperity, laying the foundation of sustainable and inclusive societies. Delivering landmark projects where investors deem too risky demands unique expertise and decisive action. EAIF was developed in response to this, as one of the first blended finance debt funds meeting the needs of African infrastructure.

In this episode, we discuss the collaboration between capital allocators, pooling essential resources to inject into infrastructure investment. Blended finance, mobilising public and private capital, is imperative to respond to the funding deficit with the speed, agility and a risk tolerance required to get projects off the ground, impacting millions of lives on the continent.

One of the main takeaways from this episode is blended finance’s ability to spread risk, encourage wider participation from investors, allowing more rapid project development.

Our guest is:

Martijn Proos, Co-Head of EM Alternative Credit at Ninety One, Fund Manager of the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF).

Your host is Lindsay Williams, business broadcaster.

To find out more about how EAIF delivers game-changing projects that help close Africa’s infrastructure gap with greater urgency and pace, visit our website.

This podcast is edited by OG Podcasts.

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Without addressing the urgent challenge of the climate crisis and the economic and geopolitical issues that it brings, sustainable development and poverty reduction are not possible.

To ensure we’re equipped to deal with the many challenges the coming decade will present, the PIDG 2023-30 Strategy makes sustainable development and action on climate and nature the company’s central purpose. 

In this episode we discuss the macro trends that are reshaping the infrastructure sector in emerging markets and developing countries. How this new focus has shifted PIDG’s priorities, and those of its sister companies. And how PIDG intends to achieve and measure its hefty goals of improving climate resilience and economic opportunities for 100 million people by 2030. 

One of the main takeaways from this episode is a call to action for both internal and external collaboration - that companies across the development finance world need to work together to solve these urgent challenges.

Our guests are:

Marco Serena, Chief Sustainable Impact Officer at PIDG 

Karen Tsang-Hounsell, Head of Business Development at InfraCo Asia, PIDG’s project development and equity arm in Asia

Your host is Marcel Klebba, communications manager at PIDG.

To find out more about how PIDG is elevating climate action together with sustainable development, visit our website.

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A year on from our last International Women’s Day conversation about gender lens investing, much has been done to advance the agenda. PIDG’s own efforts have evolved, leading to the creation of the PIDG Gender Equity Diversity and Inclusion initiative, GEDI.

In this episode we learn about the three main pillars of the GEDI, and how PIDG is broadening its mandate, redefining what it means to be inclusive. We learn about the projects that demonstrate PIDG’s commitment to the GEDI, including a look at its work with Acorn Student housing in Kenya. And we learn about new gender analysis tools which are proving invaluable in this field, as well as PIDG’s involvement in the 2X Global initiative.

Our guests are:

Celia Carbajosa, Sustainable Development Impact Adviser at PIDG

Emily Wood, Head of Social Performance and Safeguarding at PIDG

To find out more about PIDG’s approach to gender lens investing, visit our website.

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Many know about the climate crisis, but what’s often less covered is the biodiversity crisis. But the two crises are intimately linked, and it’s critical that both are considered in our approach to investing in infrastructure. With the biodiversity conference COP15 underway we’re finding out how and why we need to take action to halt and reverse nature loss.

In this episode we find out why a ‘do no harm’ approach is no longer enough - and why our infrastructure projects must actively improve the natural environment. We find out what to expect from the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework due to be announced at COP15. And we find out how PIDG accounts for the biodiversity and climate risks within its portfolio.

Our guests are:

Cameron Bain, Health, Safety, Environment, and Social Director at PIDG

Cheryl Ng, HSES Regional Manager and Group Biodiversity Lead at PIDG

To find out more about PIDG’s HSES Policy and climate strategy, visit our website.

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With the COP27 climate conference in Egypt now at a close, the PIDG team has been reflecting on the outcomes. With the focus firmly on climate adaptation and resilience, rather than emissions reductions, we ask - are our climate goals ambitious enough? Many of the countries in which PIDG operates are the most vulnerable to climate change, and that’s why it's working hard across its portfolio to invest in sustainable infrastructure. 

In this episode we explore PIDG’s role in providing infrastructure that creates a better future for people and planet, we find out how African capital markets are key to addressing Africa’s climate finance gap, and we find out whether attitudes to gender and inclusion in climate discussions are beginning to change.

Our guests are:

Philippe Valahu, CEO of PIDG

Marco Serena, Head of Sustainable Development Impact at PIDG

Cecilie Sørhus, Chief of Staff and Head of Communications at PIDG

To find out more about PIDG’s climate strategy, visit our website.

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As we reflect on 2021, we see that despite the pandemic-induced challenges of the last two years, amazing developments have been made in providing infrastructure to those who need it most. In this current global climate, PIDG’s mission is more relevant today than when it was first established. And with 19 projects closed last year, and a continued commitment to the SDGs, progress is not slowing down.

In this episode we highlight one aspect of this work - the advancement of gender equality - and how a commitment to SDG5 can improve lives. As part of PIDG’s gender equity plan, we’ve been working with K-Electric, the sole provider of electrical energy in Karachi, Pakistan, helping to launch the Roshni Baji female empowerment project. Hear from the people involved in the project, including a woman who’s become one of Pakistan’s first certified female electricians.

Our guests are:

Abeera Almas, from the Roshni Baji project

Zehra Aniq, K-Electric’s director of sustainability

Lois Davidson, ESG Director at GuarantCo

To find out more about PIDG’s 2021 Annual Review, click here.

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Many ‘first of its kind’ projects can’t get off the ground, despite their potential to create real impact. Particularly in low and middle income settings, infrastructure projects facing unusually high development costs may not be deemed financially viable. And that’s where PIDG Technical Assistance comes in, to bridge the financing gap and meet a range of needs associated with the infrastructure project development cycle. 

In this episode members of the PIDG TA team explain why technical assistance is needed and how it works both on the government and project side. And they explore three projects that have benefited from PIDG TA; The Nairobi Streets Lighting Project, Pakistan K-Electric and Bonergie Irrigation Phase II.

Our guests are:

Luke Foley, Deputy Head of PIDG TA

Teresa Tam, Regional TA Manager for Asia

Jasper Onyango, Region TA Manager for Africa

To find out more about PIDG’s approach to technical assistance, visit our website.

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