EcoRodovias has won the auction bid for the concession of the Nova Raposo Lot, following a competitive bidding process held on November 28 at B3, the São Paulo Stock Exchange. Together with the concession for Rota Sorocabana that was secured by CCR Rodovias on October 30, the state of São Paulo now has two new concessions, replacing the current ViaOeste, whose contract ends in March 2025.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, supported the Government of the State of São Paulo in the structuring and implementation of the two lots, as part of a mandate signed in 2022 covering the concession of five additional highway lots operated by the Department of Roads and Highways (DER, abbreviation in Portuguese) in the region by 2026.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a US$30 million anchor investment in Nexxus Private Debt Fund II to support the expansion of access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Mexico.

The Fund's total target size is MXN4 billion (approximately US$200 million equivalent). IFC will act as an anchor investor with an equity investment of up to US$30 million equivalent in Mexican pesos or up to 20 percent of the total investment commitments in the Fund. The investment will help address the financing gap faced by SMEs and promote economic growth, particularly in the context of nearshoring opportunities. Mexico's economy is expected to benefit significantly from nearshoring, with estimates suggesting that it could generate between 2 and 4 million jobs by 2030 and contribute to increased labor productivity and GDP growth. However, SMEs in Mexico face challenges in accessing long-term and affordable capital, hindering their ability to take advantage of nearshoring opportunities.

To enhance the Port of Cotonou’s operations and boost trade flows in Benin and West Africa, IFC today announced a financing for Benin Terminal (BT), the country’s largest container terminal.

IFC will loan up to €20 million to BT, a subsidiary of Africa Global Logistics (AGL), owned by Mediterranean Shipping Company Holding SA (MSC), the world’s largest container shipping company. IFC's financing, which is part of a wider €165 million investment plan initiated by BT to improve its operations, will enable the company to increase its berth and yard capacity. Following the upgrades funded by this financing, which marks IFC’s first-ever direct investment in Benin’s infrastructure sector, IFC expects the expanded activity of the terminal to add an estimated $873 million in gross value to Benin’s economy (the equivalent of roughly 1.2 percent of its GDP) and support several thousands of additional indirect and induced jobs by 2035.

A new IFC investment in senior bonds issued by UniCredit Bank S.A., the Romanian subsidiary of UniCredit S.p.A., representing the first tranche of the total €108 million investment approved in relation to UniCredit Bank`s Euro Medium Term Notes Programme, will expand access to green loans for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and individuals, including women, to bolster the country’s climate finance market and support its green transition.

Romania’s energy intensity remains over 60 percent higher than the EU average, even after a 30 percent reduction over the past decade. Although this presents a challenge, the country has committed to increasing its renewable energy consumption to 30.7 percent by 2030. Significant challenges remain in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly in the energy and housing sectors, which together account for a substantial portion of emissions.

A coalition of international organizations, including the IMF, has launched high-level guidelines for public authorities seeking to harness 'open finance' to accelerate digital financial services and innovation and increase usage of a broader range of financial products.

Alongside investment in digital public infrastructure, and ongoing efforts to reach the 1.4 billion people globally who still do not have access to a basic transaction account, open finance can be the next frontier for the growth of the financial services industry. 76% of the world’s population now have access to a financial account and open finance can expand their use and increase the benefits customers derive from financial services.

“The entry of new financial players can boost innovation and competition, but it also creates regulatory challenges,” said IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in a statement. “Competition may be at risk if dominant players from other sectors can access financial data without sharing their own. Public authorities will need to closely monitor the ecosystem to ensure it meets policy objectives.”