Tuesday 12 February
18.30-22.00 Welcome drinks and dinner at Randolph Hotel, Beaumont St, Oxford OX1 2LN
Wednesday 13 February
Blavatnik School of Government
08.15-9.00 Registration and coffee
Session 1: Setting the scene
09.00-09.05 Welcome, Ngaire Woods, Dean of Blavatnik School of Government
09.05-09.45 Panel 1: A vision of greater impact
09.45-10.25 Panel 2: Reality check: Where are we now?
10.45-11.15 Coffee break
Session 2: Increasing private investment: the role of DFIs
International Finance Corporation (IFC) will present an analysis of the role played by DFIs and the private sector in fragile and conflict environments and the challenges private investors face to better understand the investment landscape. The aim of the discussion is to identify ways to increase private sector engagement and mobilise additional investments.
11.15-11.20 Session introduction
11.20-11.40 Presentation: Generating private investment in fragile and conflict affected environments
11.40-12.00 Panel discussion
12.00-12.45 Moderated audience discussion
12.45-14.00 Lunch with special guest speaker
Session 3: The enabling environment
What are the critical constraints in the enabling environment? What to do in the absence of economy-wide reform?
14.00-14.40 Panel discussion
14.40-15.20 Moderated audience discussion
15.20-15.30 Summary and conclusion
15.30-16.00 Coffee break and group photo
Session 4: Frontier conversations - the realities of investing in fragile environments
This session aims to focus on the granular and very real challenges of investing in fragile environments, from the reality of investing to operating a business. These insights will help participants identify potential solutions and actions DFIs can take.
16.00-16.10 Session introduction
16.10-16.20 Conversation 1: Getting off the ground
16.20-16.30 Conversation 2: The challenges of managing
16.30-17.15 Moderated audience discussion
17.15-17.20 Closing remarks
19.30-21.00 Conference dinner with special guest speakers at Rhodes House, Oxford
Thursday 14 February
Blavatnik School of Government
08.30-9.00 Networking and coffee
Session 5: De-risking tools and the use of concessional finance in fragile environments
What are the key financial and operational risks that private firms and DFIs face in investing in FCS? What can DFIs do to help mitigate these risks? What is the rationale for subsidies and blending? How to use them to expand private investment? What have been the experiences with the use of concessional finance to date?
09.00-09.10 Session introduction
09.10-09.30 Presentation and discussion: The role of pioneering firms in fragile environments
09.30-10.00 Panel discussion
10.00-10.20 Moderated audience discussion
10.20-10.30 Summary and conclusions
10.30-11.00 Coffee break
Session 6: Sensitivity to conflict
How to ensure a conflict-sensitive approach? What are DFIs’ ongoing experiences in this area?
11.00-11.30 Panel discussion
11.30-12.20 Moderated audience discussion
12.20-12.30 Summary and conclusions
12.45-14.00 Lunch with special guest speaker
Session 7: Scope for smarter working among DFIs in fragile environments
What are the obstacles to greater DFI effectiveness? Where can cross-DFI working or common approaches address these obstacles, recognising that in some environments there will be competition?
14.00-14.30 Presentation of findings from DFI pre-meetings, and update on US BUILD Act
14.30-14.50 Options for smarter working: what are the priorities to address?
14.50-15.20 Moderated audience discussion
15.20-16.00 Summary and conclusions
15.30-16.00 Coffee break
Session 8: Moving forward
Do governments see a need to strengthen the role of DFIs in helping to build private sector investment in these difficult environments, and if so, how? How do we continue the conversation, encourage communities of practice and move forward to implementation?
16.00-16.45 Government agency perspectives
16.45-16.55 Presentation of emerging ideas for follow up
16.55-17.25 Moderated audience discussion
17.25-17.35 Closing remarks
17.35-18.30 Closing reception
