00:00So we typically have a funding plan that's approved for us every year, whereby we seek
00:07to raise capital to fund our project.
00:10You know that we're Africa's infrastructure solutions provider and what we do in the main
00:15is to develop and finance infrastructure, natural resource and industrial assets across
00:21the continent.
00:21So we typically raise funds from both internally generated sources, the markets, syndication
00:34markets, the euro bond markets and then the development finance partner markets.
00:40Those are the three buckets of funding that we typically get and then we deploy into project.
00:45So last year we did 1.5 billion.
00:48So this year we wanted to go again at 1.6 billion, but we raised $2 billion.
00:54What is important is the timing and the fact that we're able to get even more partners to
01:01join us.
01:01You would see from the announcement the whole list of partners that came on board.
01:06That for us is a sign that the world is taking note that Africa is building and people want
01:12to be part of that build out.
01:16We've always said that Africa's future has to be built.
01:19It cannot be wished.
01:21And we're focused on execution to make sure that we deliver.
01:27Can you speak a bit about the makeup of the funders?
01:30Because quite a large proportion come from Asia and also the Middle East to a certain extent.
01:35How how how did those factor into what we see with the syndicated loan?
01:41That's a good question.
01:42You know, so we typically have a funding base as diverse.
01:46You know, we have European banks, we have African banks, we have Gulf banks, we have Asian banks.
01:52But in this round, we saw a lot more Asian banks.
01:56You know, we have banks from China, from Hong Kong, you know, from Korea, you know.
02:03So again, it's just people taking note that Africa is building and people want to be part
02:11of that Africa build.
02:12You know, Africa has, you know, a rare opportunity, you know, in which all the mega trends, global
02:20mega trends, you know, converge, you know, in Africa.
02:24So Africa is a lot more relevant now because Africa has what the world needs.
02:31So people want to be part of that story, which is why they're looking at how to deploy capital
02:37into Africa and we've showed up as a credible, reliable partner, you know, to work with.
02:45You know, early this year, we've got a ratings upgrade, you know, on top of our already investment
02:50grade rating from Moody's, we have S&P now where the ratings upgrade.
02:56So all of that combined to make us very appealing for international capital to flow into Africa.
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