Muscat: Hussain Al Lawati, CEO, Development Bank moderated a session on sustainable finance at the ADFIAP–AADFI CEO Forum in Macau earlier this week as global issuance of green, social and sustainability-linked debt reaches an estimated US$6.2 trillion.

The forum, titled “Resilient Future: Harnessing Sustainable Finance for Development in Asia and Africa,” brought together senior figures from development finance institutions across both regions. Al Lawati’s session featured speakers from Russia, Cambodia, India and Micronesia exploring how finance can be directed towards climate adaptation, infrastructure, housing and food security.

“Sustainable finance is about making development last,” said Al Lawati. “It’s about supporting projects that strengthen communities, create livelihoods and build resilience for the future.”

Blended finance in Asia and the Pacific has channeled more than US$18 billion into renewable energy, transport and manufacturing projects between 2022 and 2024, according to recent data. The session looked at how these models can be scaled to drive sustainable growth in other regions.

In Oman, the trend mirrors a broader focus on resilience and economic diversification. In the first half of 2025, Development Bank approved RO109.5 million in new loans, up 13% year-on-year with strong demand across tourism, agriculture, services and mining.

The forum, organized jointly by the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) and the Association of African Development Finance Institutions (AADFI) drew more than 200 delegates from across both regions.