Proposed Financings
As of December 31, 2020, the Bank has 92 proposed financings in the rolling investment pipeline for 2021-2022. The rolling investment pipeline includes all proposed financings for the next 24 months (updated on a rolling basis) that have passed project screening review and have subsequently been approved for inclusion into the pipeline. See “–Financing Approval Process–Non-sovereign-backed Financings–Project Screening Review.”
As of December 31, 2020, the proposed financings span a broad range of sectors, including energy, economic resilience, finance/liquidity, education, public health, rural infrastructure and agriculture development, transport, urban, water, finance and ICT, and, excluding multi-country financings (discussed below), would fund projects in the following members: Bangladesh, Belarus, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Fiji, Georgia, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. As of December 31, 2020, of the proposed financings, eight (six investments in funds, one loan and one investment in fixed-income securities) were classified as multi-country financings.
Financing Approval Process
The Bank’s financing process is guided by the Bank’s mandate, mission and thematic priorities of green infrastructure, connectivity and regional cooperation, technology-enabled Infrastructure and private capital mobilization. The Bank reviews financing proposals, seeking to achieve an appropriate balance among sectors, sovereign-backed and non-sovereign-backed financings and beneficiaries. The Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework is integral to the decision-making process on all projects. See “–Environmental and Social Framework.”
Non-sovereign-backed Financings
The approval process for non-sovereign-backed financings is described below. This approval process may be simplified in certain limited circumstances, including in respect of straightforward low- or medium-risk financings that are deemed well prepared prior to concept review or follow-on or repeat financings.
Project Screening Review
The Bank receives financing ideas and proposals from a variety of entities, including project sponsors, commercial banks, government entities and development partners. Each proposed financing undergoes preliminary project review screening to determine if it aligns strategically with the Bank’s purposes and priorities. At this stage, the Bank performs an initial integrity check on the sponsor(s) and beneficiary. If the proposed financing passes initial screening, it is included in the Bank’s rolling investment pipeline. See “–Proposed Financings.”
Assessment Prior to Concept Review
At this stage, further information is gathered about key aspects of the proposed financing in order to form a judgment on whether the proposed financing broadly meets the Bank’s operating principles and warrants dedicating significant resources to its preparation. Additional integrity and compliance checks, as well as initial environmental and social due diligence, are carried out prior to concept review.
Concept Review
A concept review is held before significant resources are spent on preparation of the financing. The purposes of the concept review are to (i) confirm that the proposed financing broadly fits within the purposes, policies, strategies and priorities of the Bank, (ii) assess whether the project merits the Bank’s investment of time and resources, (iii) assess and authorize the initial resource requirements for the proposed financing, (iv) discuss possible modifications to the proposed financing to enhance its contribution to the Bank’s objectives and (v) agree on the key issues to be addressed and the approach to resolving them.
For the concept review, a concept review project document is prepared and submitted to the Investment Committee. This concept review project document includes, among other things, the following information: (i) a summary of key financing terms, (ii) a description of the underlying project, including use of proceeds of the proposed financing, (iii) brief information on the beneficiary and sponsors, including the results of the initial integrity check, (iv) a rationale for the Bank’s involvement in the proposed financing, (v) a risk assessment of the proposed financing (including an indicative risk rating, economic capital and risk-weighted return on capital of the proposed financing), (vi) an assessment of necessary funding or hedging arrangements or of any other funding issues, (vii) a preliminary analysis on the potential environmental and social impact of the proposed financing, (viii) a summary of key project issues and (ix) a timetable for next steps. At this stage, the Bank assesses the extent to which the financing involves an international waterway, a disputed area or a de facto government (as such terms are used in the Bank’s Operational Policy on International Relations).
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