Luxemburg September 14, 2022. As part of an official visit to Luxembourg, the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE). This memorandum of understanding, which focuses primarily on sustainable finance, marks the first official step in what is hoped to be a long cooperation aimed at strengthening sustainable finance in the WAEMU zone.
“Sustainable finance represents a financing opportunity for emerging countries because they have the possibility of attracting a new type of investors, who otherwise would not have been interested in their bond issues. This is why I am delighted with the signing of this memorandum of understanding with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange for the development of sustainable finance within the West African Economic and Monetary Union”, declared Edoh Kossi AMENOUNVE, Director General of the BRVM.
Cooperation across continents
The BRVM is one of the cornerstones of the financing of the economies of the countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, which works for greater integration between Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea- Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. It is common to these eight countries. The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) is the leading listing venue for international debt securities and a pioneer in sustainable finance. It created the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) in 2016, the first global platform for sustainable finance, which currently has more than 1,400 sustainable debt securities.
Through this memorandum of understanding, the two exchanges commit to explore the creation of a bond market dedicated to green, social, sustainable and sustainability-related bonds at the BRVM, and to analyze opportunities for dual listings. durable titles. In addition, the two institutions are committed to collaborating on training programs in sustainable finance within the framework of the BRVM Academy.
“Strengthening cooperation with our African counterparts is a key priority for our Exchange this year. We are pleased to partner with the BRVM and work together to help the BRVM establish a sustainable bond market and make it easier for international investors to identify investment opportunities that fund sustainable development in South Africa. ‘West. While Europe is at the helm of sustainable finance, Africa accounts for only a fraction of global green bond issuance. This needs to change as sustainable capital is needed to fund sustainable development in the region,” commented Julie Becker, CEO of LuxSE.
Progress Through Financial Education
In 2019, the BRVM announced the launch of the BRVM Academy to train finance professionals and the general public of the West African Economic and Monetary Union in key theories of capital markets and stock exchanges. Similarly, in May 2020, LuxSE launched the LGX Academy, which enables participants to better understand the fundamentals of sustainable finance as well as the regulations and key players shaping the industry. Reflecting their strong desire to fill the knowledge gap that hinders the acceleration of sustainable finance, the two institutions will now partner to develop training modules in sustainable finance as part of the BRVM Academy.
About the Luxembourg Stock Exchange
The Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE) is the gateway to international investors. With more than 39,000 listed securities, including 35,000 debt securities, from 2,000 issuers in 100 countries, LuxSE is the world’s leading exchange for the listing of international debt securities and offers a unique and integrated service offering covering listing, trading and information.
In 2016, LuxSE launched the Luxembourg Green Exchange (LGX) and became the first exchange in the world to operate a platform entirely dedicated to sustainable securities. LGX has become a meeting place between issuers of sustainable products and impact-conscious investors, and includes more than 1,450 green, social, sustainable and sustainability-related bonds from 250 issuers in 50 countries. For more information, go to www.bourse.lu
About the BRVM
Brought to baptismal fronts on December 18, 1996 in Cotonou (BENIN), the Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM) is a perfectly integrated electronic stock exchange common to 8 West African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. In addition to equity securities (shares), the BRVM offers the admission and trading of debt securities (bonds).
The BRVM offers investors a world-class stock market environment with state-of-the-art trading and settlement/delivery systems. The BRVM chairs the Executive Committee of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) and is a member of the Council for the Integration of Capital Markets in West Africa (WACMIC). Since November 2016, it has been classified in the category of frontier markets by the MSCI.