New Era

Nasdaq welcomes Bank Windhoek to Sustainabl­e Bond Network

- ■ Staff Reporter

The National Associatio­n of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (Nasdaq) Sustainabl­e Bond Network in New York on Monday welcomed Bank Windhoek as its newest member. Nasdaq shared the announceme­nt on its official website, social media platforms and the main billboard in Times Square, New York City.

Sustainabi­lity Bonds raise additional funding sources and

avail favourable loans to fund financiall­y feasible projects that bring clear environmen­tal and social-economic benefits.

Bank Windhoek becomes the first Namibian commercial bank to join the Nasdaq Sustainabl­e Bond Network after the successful issuance and listing of its first Sustainabi­lity Bond in the southern African region.

“As a responsibl­e Namibian financial services institutio­n, our membership to the Nasdaq Sustainabl­e Bond Network is a step in the right direction. It supports global efforts in recognisin­g that we can all make a contributi­on toward a sustainabl­e future,” said Bank Windhoek’s Managing Director Baronice Hans.

The Nasdaq Sustainabl­e Bond Network provides Bank Windhoek with an online platform to showcase its Green

and Sustainabl­e Bond Framework details, impact reports, projects financed and bond listing details.

“Investors and analysts will

have access to detailed informatio­n for due diligence, selection and monitoring purposes, opening up the opportunit­y to attract potential investors to Bank Windhoek and Namibia. Our membership to the Sustainabl­e Bond Network demonstrat­es the credibilit­y of our Sustainabl­e Bond framework,” said the Bank’s manager of Sustainabl­e Investment­s and Deal Originatio­n, Ruan Bestbier.

Bank Windhoek’s Chief Treasurer Claire Hobbs said given the need for an urgent transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy and sustainabl­e economic developmen­t, financial markets play an integral role in driving investment­s in climatefri­endly projects.

“The transition to a sustainabl­e and green economy requires scaling up financing of investment­s through projects that provide environmen­tal and social benefits,” said Hobbs.

The Nasdaq is an American multinatio­nal financial services corporatio­n, headquarte­red in New York City.

The Nasdaq owns and operates three stock exchanges in the United States: its namesake, the Nasdaq stock exchange; the Philadelph­ia Stock Exchange; the Boston Stock Exchange and seven European stock exchanges: Copenhagen, Helsinki, Iceland, Riga, Stockholm, Tallinn and Vilnius.

The Nasdaq tracks more than 3 300 company listings, including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook.

Most of these listings are technology and internet-related.

Still, there are also financial, consumer, biotech and industrial companies that are listed.

 ?? Photo: Contribute­d ?? Internatio­nal exposure… Nasdaq’s electronic billboard in Times Square, New York City, officially welcomed Bank Windhoek to the Sustainabl­e Bond Network.
Photo: Contribute­d Internatio­nal exposure… Nasdaq’s electronic billboard in Times Square, New York City, officially welcomed Bank Windhoek to the Sustainabl­e Bond Network.

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