E&S OPEC Fund and AfDB join forces for Africa to help countries close gaps, learn from peers and build a stronger foundation for sustainable development By Ines Fejzic, OPEC Fund SPOTLIGHT Strengthening safeguards, building capacity
M ore than 40 delegates from 12 African countries gathered at the OPEC Fund Headquarters in Vienna for three days of intensive training on environmental and social (E&S) safeguards in June 2026. Organized jointly with the African Development Bank (AfDB), the event marked the launch of a two-phase initiative designed to strengthen African institutions’ capacity to apply international safeguard standards and adapt them to national contexts. The initiative comes at a pivotal time.
safeguard frameworks, but alignment with the evolving requirements of international financial institutions (IFIs) and multilateral development banks (MDBs) remains complex. With the AfDB’s Updated Integrated Safeguards System (ISS), effective since May 2024, and the OPEC Fund’s ESG Policy, effective from March 2023, the two institutions saw both an opportunity and a responsibility: to help countries close gaps, learn from peers and build a stronger foundation for sustainable development. A rapidly changing landscape In his opening remarks, Musab Alomar, OPEC Fund Vice President, Strategy
reflected on the scale of the challenge: “The E&S landscape has changed faster than our capacity to manage it. Requirements are more complex, timelines are shorter, and resources are often stretched. The result can be duplication, delays – or worse, diluted protections for people and ecosystems.” This evolution is also a story of progress. Pierre Biedermann, CEO of the consultancy Alpage who also does work for the OPEC Fund, reminded delegates that 20 years ago E&S requirements were narrowly defined. Today, MDBs require structured systems that cover land acquisition, biodiversity, cultural heritage, climate and vulnerable groups.
African nations have made great strides in establishing national
The evolution of safeguards – from permits to people
Musab Alomar, Vice President, Strategy, OPEC Fund
2000s
2010s • Biodiversity • Land rights • Stakeholder engagement
2025
• Basic environmental impact assessment (EIA) • Permits • Pollution
• Climate • Vulnerable groups • Cultural heritage • GBVH*/SEAH^
* Gender-Based Violence and Harassment ^ Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment
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