The 9th edition of Bonds, Loans and Sukuk Africa 2020 will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 10 to 11, 2020. This continent’s only pan-african debt event, will be the place for UMOA-Titres (UT) to work towards achieving one of its major goals which is to diversify and enlarge the investor base of the Government Securities Market by targeting foreign investors such as investment banks, asset management companies, insurance companies and pension funds, in order to present a high potential investment opportunity in a growing region: the WAEMU Government Securities Market issued by auction.
As a result, and for its third consecutive participation, UMOA-Titres has decided to step up and co-host with Bonds & Loans, a closed-door luncheon on March 10 at the Cape Town Convention Centre alongside the Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Africa 2020. Supported by regional financial actors, UT intends, through this roundtable, to provide an economic outlook for the WAEMU zone, giving an opportunity for local issuers to present their financing strategies and finally offer a unique networking opportunity with major international investors.
This discussion will provide an in-depth look at the economic and credit outlook for the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries, offer an opportunity to hear directly from public debt, treasury officials about their borrowing and market development plans, and all you to network with leading regional and global investors in an intimate setting.
More than 20 qualified international investors will be taking part. Participants will discuss about the strategy for positioning the WAEMU zone as an attractive investment opportunity in a global emerging market and African context.
Discussions will therefore focus on the following themes:
- Assessing the West African economic outlook:
- What are near and medium-term growth prospects for WAEMU countries?
- Which sectors will drive growth between 2020-2023?
- Progress on fiscal consolidation
- Trends in the regional debt market: Debt distribution, primary and secondary market growth, and ratings
- Assessing the regulatory environment
- Liquidity, currencies, market infrastructure, and risk: Making WAEMU investing frictionless and attractive in a global emerging market and African context
Expected international investors at the roundtable include Duet Asset Management, Finnfund, IMF, DBSA, Allianz and South Suez Capital.
At the end of this roundtable, UMOA-Titres intends to develop a robust global capital corridor with WAEMU-Countries in order to promote new Investment opportunities in Western Africa.
This roundtable is an opportunity for WAEMU issuers and regional financial actors to network and, above all, an efficient way to close deals while exchanging on the latest developments in African structured finance and debt markets.
Since its creation in 2013, UMOA-Titres’ efforts have been reflected in investors’, issuers’ and financial actors’ growing interest for the Government Securities Markets and the regional economic development. A total of XOF 3,420 billion was mobilized in 2019, 50% of which was T-bonds. A record since the Agency’s entry into sovereign debt market. As for 2020, WAEMU States should still draw on the same levels as in previous years, i.e. XOF 4,361 billion. Improvements continue, however, both nationally and internationally, in order to diversify and broaden investor base for efficient development of the WAEMU Government Securities Market.