Green Bond Market Agreement, eyes $60m investment

(LGMA). LGMA certified members must adhere to food safety requirements subject to regular audits by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The CFIA has a regular monitoring program for O157:H7 in fresh vegetables. Since April 1, 2019, in addition to the regular monitoring program, the CFIA added 1,000 samples per year of imported romaine lettuce and products containing romaine lettuce. Quick facts The CFIA plays a critical role in safeguarding a healthy food supply system, ensuring the foods Canadians eat are safe and facilitating the trade of food and food products internationally. Due to growing conditions, Canada imports lettuce from Salinas Valley primarily during the fall months. Approximately 40,000 shipments of romaine lettuce or salad mixes containing romaine lettuce were imported into Canada from January to December 2020. Romaine lettuce is associated with elevated food safety risks. In Canada, there have been seven documented outbreaks of illnesses associated with romaine lettuce, and 16 recalls of romaine lettuce or products containing romaine lettuce due to

O157:H7 from 2010 to 2019. Under the CFIA's temporary import requirements, romaine lettuce from Salinas must be tested in a laboratory accredited by an accreditation body that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA). In 2020, the CFIA imposed temporary import conditions for romaine lettuce from the Salinas Valley between October 7 and December 31. There were no

outbreaks in Canada related to lettuce from that region.

L-R: Lagos Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FMDQ Group, Mr. Bola Onadele. Koko; Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyo Onigbanjo (SAN); Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) & Investment, Mrs. Solape Hammond during the signing of the Lagos State Green Bond Issuance Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Lagos House, Marina, on Tuesday, September 14, 2021. Lagos State becomes the first sub-national Government to activate the framework for the unlocking of the $1 trillion Nigerian Green Bond Market Development Programme to finance key infrastructure projects. On Tuesday, Governor Babajide SanwoOlu signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FMDQ Group and Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Africa, which are the programme’s implementing partners on the proposed N25 billion (over $60 million) financing. The historic event, held at the State House in Marina, came less than 24 hours after Lagos was upgraded to AAA(nga) rating from AA+(nga) by Fitch International for the State’s good standing on debt sustainability and resilience. SanwoOlu said the green bond programme, being supported by the UK Agency for International Development (UK Aid), would raise the capacity of the State Government to deliver more key infrastructure and social projects that would keep Lagos on the path of prosperity. Launched in 2018, the Green Bond Market Development Programme is to facilitate development of a green bond market to support broader debt capital markets reforms that will impact the sovereign and non-sovereign bond markets in the country. The programme is to empower State Governments to champion sustainable finance for development. Sanwo-Olu said the MoU was the crucial first step being taken by Lagos towards creating viable financing option for future green and sustainability projects. The funding opportunity, he said, will advance adoption of innovation and technologies to provide green jobs, thereby promoting economic and climate resiliency. He said: “As a Government, we are committed to utilise our limited resources more efficiently to create a circular economy, which is a promising and viable alternative. Public spending and investments may not be enough to deliver our key objectives; therefore, the need to tap into more private investments for the transition to a zero waste and circular economy, as well as achieving crucial items of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “I strongly believe that the Green Bond programme will open the doors of deep sustainable funds for infrastructure and social development for Lagos. Being the biggest player in the sub-national capital market, Lagos’ experience can open new doors for a lot of others. As a State, we embrace the transparency and commitment that comes with a Green Finance framework. We believe it sends an important signal to investors in the market about who we are: a State that is fiscally responsible, prudent and disciplined.” Sanwo-Olu said Lagos’ credential in investment sustainability made the State take the bold step to activate the framework to benefit from the programme. He said the initiative would go a long way in ensuring that key deliverables in his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda are actualised, while pledging that the State would continue to blaze the trail of leadership, financial accountability, innovation and sustainability. Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs and Investment, Mrs. Solape Hammond, said the journey to get the framework