Bank of Africa Receives “Outstanding Service” Award in Hong Kong Recognizing Its Efforts in Promoting Green Financing
Bank of Africa has been awarded the “Outstanding Service” accolade during the 2025 annual meeting of the Green Investment Principles (GIP) for the Belt and Road Initiative, held on October 27 in Hong Kong in partnership with the University of Hong Kong. This honor acknowledges the bank’s steadfast commitment to sustainable financing and its leading role in enhancing the green transition at both African and international levels.
Under the leadership of its Chairman and CEO, Othman Benjelloun, the bank is pursuing an ambitious policy aimed at establishing responsible financing as a lever for sustainable growth, making it one of the prominent players in this field on the global stage.
Since its launch in 2019, the GIP initiative has been working to integrate environmental and climate dimensions into investments associated with the Belt and Road Initiative, involving more than fifty financial institutions and partners from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America. This initiative serves as a global platform aimed at balancing economic growth, financial inclusion, and the shift towards a low-carbon economy, particularly in developing countries.
Bank of Africa is the first African institution to join the initiative’s secretariat and is among its founding members. It currently co-chairs the African branch, led by Ibrahim Benjelloun Touimi, the Executive General Manager of the bank, who is driving extensive efforts to raise awareness among African financial institutions regarding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, developing innovative financing solutions tailored to the continent’s needs, and supporting South-South cooperation to expedite the adoption of best practices in this area.
This recognition underscores the pivotal role the bank plays in promoting a culture of responsible financing and building practical bridges between African and Asian markets. In a statement following the award ceremony, Ibrahim Benjelloun Touimi remarked:
“Through the GIP initiative, we are working to establish a vision based on transparency, transformation, and adaptation. This award reflects the collective efforts of the bank’s teams and the strategic ambition led by Mr. Othman Benjelloun.”
The discussions at the meeting in Hong Kong highlighted the importance of Transition Finance, inspired by the work of the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group, which has become a core component of the GIP initiative. These trends demonstrate the increasing willingness among participating parties to enhance financing directed toward climate adaptation, viewed as a critical priority for developing nations.
