Side event at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) organized by the Governments of Kenya and Switzerland as well as the UN Global Compact
Monday, 18 July 2016, 1:15 – 2:45 pm
Conference Room F, UN Conference Building, New York

The 2030 Agenda is a major multilateral success and will guide the sustainable development agenda for the next fifteen years. All actors, including the private sector, are invited to contribute to the implementation, follow-up, monitoring and review of the 2030 Agenda. This includes the financial sector, which plays an important role in accelerating the shift towards a more sustainable future by channeling investments where they have the biggest impact on sustainable development. It has the fundamental role to develop tools and instruments that bridge the real economy looking for affordable and stable funding on the one hand and investors seeking long-term investments and attractive returns on the other, and thereby contributing to an efficient cycle for more sustainable development.

The first HLPF after the adoption of the new Agenda presents an opportunity to begin the discussion on how the financial sector can seize the opportunity to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. This side event provides an opportunity to show how private investments can contribute to sustainable development in all countries of the world, and how the financial sector reports on its contributions to the achievements of the SDGs, including lessons learned, successes and challenges.

Programme:
Welcome & introduction
H. E. Mr. Manuel Sager, Secretary of State, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland
Panel Discussion
Panelists:
H.E. Mr. Macharia Kamau, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the UN
Ms. Lise Kingo, Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact
Ms. Sabine Döbeli, CEO of Swiss Sustainable Finance
Mr. Felix Bikpo, CEO, African Guarantee Fund [tbc] Moderator: Mr. Dante A. Disparte, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Risk Cooperative
Key respondent: Mr. Simon Zadek, UNEP Inquiry on “The Financial System We Need”
Moderated Discussion with the audience