SEB:s fondbolag investerar i grön obligation på Sri Lanka

SEB:s mikrofinansfonder samt Impact Opportunity-fonden har investerat 1,3 miljarder lankesiska rupier (cirka 66 miljoner kronor) i sin första gröna obligation. Pengarna ska finansiera gröna lån hos Pan Asia Banking Corporation i Sri Lanka.

30 juni 2020|12:25

SEB Investment management förvaltar idag sex mikrofinansfonder samt en bredare Impact Opportunity-fond med ett total kapital på drygt 9 miljarder kronor. Mikrofinansfonderna har tidigare finansierat Pan Asias utlåning till små- och medelstora företag.

– I och med SEB:s banbrytande arbete inom gröna obligationer är vi glada över att utvidga våra sociala investeringar till att även inkludera miljömässigt hållbara investeringar i Sri Lanka, säger Camilla Löwenhielm, portföljförvaltare inom mikrofinans på SEB.

Obligationen kommer att finansiera en ny låneprodukt ”Haritha Sammana” där Pan Asia erbjuder lån för nya gröna initiativ och projekt på Sri Lanka. Storleken på lånen som erbjuds ligger mellan 6 000-120 000 kronor med en löptid mellan 1 och 10 år.

– Sri Lankas jordbrukssektor är i stort behov av en omställning till ett mer hållbart jordbruk, ett arbete där Pan Asia spelar en viktig roll med produkter i framkant. Den nya låneprodukten kan till exempel finansiera klimatsmarta insatsvaror, användning av inhemska frön, solenergi och dropp-bevattning. Den förväntas även stärka små- och medelstora företag genom att erbjuda lån för solenergi- samt energieffektiva investeringar, säger Camilla Löwenhielm.

Hanna Holmberg, som började som portföljförvaltare inom Mikrofinans på SEB i mitten av maj understryker vikten av gröna obligationer och mikrofinansfonder för tillväxtmarknaderna.

– Den gröna obligationen gör det möjligt för en lokal kommersiell bank att få tillgång till långsiktig finansiering i lokalvaluta vilket är oerhört viktigt på tillväxtmarknader. Sen möjliggör gröna obligationer och mikrofinansfonder ytterligare inflöde av kapital som kan investeras i en mängd miljömässigt hållbara projekt som har en positiv ekonomisk och social inverkan på människors liv

SEB’s fund companies invest in green bonds in Sri Lanka

SEB’s microfinance funds and the Impact Opportunity Fund have invested 1.3 billion Sri Lankan rupees (approximately SEK 66 million) in their first green bond. The money will finance green loans from Pan Asia Banking Corporation in Sri Lanka.

June 30, 2020 | 12:25 PM

SEB Investment management currently manages six microfinance funds as well as a broader Impact Opportunity fund with a total capital of just over SEK 9 billion. The microfinance funds have previously funded Pan Asia’s lending to SMEs.

– With SEB’s groundbreaking work on green bonds, we are pleased to expand our social investments to include environmentally sustainable investments in Sri Lanka, says Camilla Löwenhielm, portfolio manager in microfinance at SEB.

The bond will finance a new loan product ”Haritha Sammana” where Pan Asia offers loans for new green initiatives and projects in Sri Lanka. The size of the loans offered is between SEK 6,000-120,000 with a maturity of between 1 and 10 years.

– Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector is in dire need of a change to more sustainable agriculture, a work where Pan Asia plays an important role with leading edge products. The new loan product can, for example, finance climate-smart input products, use of domestic seeds, solar energy and drip irrigation. It is also expected to strengthen small and medium-sized companies by offering loans for solar and energy-efficient investments, says Camilla Löwenhielm.

Hanna Holmberg, who started as portfolio manager in Microfinance at SEB in mid-May, emphasizes the importance of green bonds and microfinance funds for emerging markets.

– The green bond enables a local commercial bank to have access to long-term financing in local currency, which is extremely important in emerging markets. Then, green bonds and microfinance funds allow for additional inflow of capital that can be invested in a number of environmentally sustainable projects that have a positive economic and social impact on people’s lives.

Sri Lanka showcased in the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2020

We are happy to share the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2020 which was just released.

This report puts Sri Lanka’s startup community on a global stage. 

Sri Lanka’s results are exciting – 

  • Ranked as the #2 Global Ecosystem for Affordable Talent in 2020
  • The focus on technology and competitive Tech Talent are cited as the reasons a startup should move to Sri Lanka
  • Regional sub-sector strengths include E-commerce and Fintech

The report link (startupgenome.com/report/GSER2020) will be live now.

Reseinfo COVID Sri Lanka

Dear Partners,

Greetings from Sri Lanka!

Hope all is well with you and your family!!

As you may be aware, in Sri Lanka, as a key contributor to country’s economy, the Tourism Industry serves multiple purposes. In addition to that being the third largest foreign exchange earner to the country, a large number of direct and indirect employment opportunities are created by tourism, while also facilitating inflow of foreign direct investments to the country. Given the importance of this sector to the national economy of Sri Lanka, it is paramount that we resume tourism activities at the earliest, by ensuring necessary health and safety protocols and procedures are in place.

With the global recognition Sri Lanka gained by effectively managing and controlling the spread of the COVID-19 virus within the country, already there are inquiries from potential travelers and tour groups. While welcoming such gesture of good faith placed in our country by tourists, we realize the importance of implementing planned, organized and well-structured health protocols when resuming tourism in the country, so as to ensure the safety and good health of our guests, all industry stakeholders and the general public.

To achieve the above objective, the Sri Lanka Tourism presents the attached document which provides the tourism operational guidelines to be followed by the stakeholders in all areas of tourism. The Sri Lanka Tourism, in line with the guidance received from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization (WHO), have ensured the right measures are adopted to minimize chances of re-entry and/or spreading of the COVID-19 virus within the country and to implement them in a way that avoids unnecessary inconvenience to tourists and industry stakeholders.

In developing this guideline, the Sri Lanka Tourism also obtained valuable inputs and feedback from all relevant tourism stakeholders, associations, and individuals. The guideline provides the road map with key criteria and steps for ‘Safe and Secure’ restoration of tourism activities amidst the presence of COVID-19. The guideline and the procedures here in are intended to enhance cleanliness and hygiene practices of tourism related venues, services and individuals, where physical distancing, viral infection prevention and controls were considered as key elements in developing the required health protocols.

Hope the above finds you well. Please revert if you have any further clarifications.

Have a good day!

Stay safe!

Thanks & best regards – ERAN

ERAN WIJEWARDENE
Assistant Manager – Jetwing Travels (Pvt) Ltd

eran@jetwing.lk

T +94 11 2345700 E 1547 F +94 11 4712818 M +94 77 7287814