CEF Carbon this month teamed up with the Department of Minerals and Energy's Designated National Authority (DNA) to mount an exhibition stand which attracted the attention of hundreds of international visitors over three days at the Global Carbon Expo in Germany.

The Global Expo was co-hosted by the World Bank. It is sometimes described as the "World Cup of the Carbon markets" and was held in Cologne. It was attended by more than 3 000 delegates and exhibitors from just about every country on the planet.

While all other countries from the continent and the Middle East were clustered in regional stands, South Africa was the only country which had its own stand – clearly reflective of our nation's status as a leading continental player in the Clean Development Mechanism space.

The highlight of the marketing initiative in Cologne was CEF Carbon clinching a deal with a major European country which will help extend CEF Carbon's strategic presence well beyond its current operations base in London.

"This is a major breakthrough for us," says Deven Pillay, Head of CEF Carbon. "Almost overnight we will extend our footprint in Europe to a number of major countries and have access to an incredible wealth of skills and expertise in the Carbon markets space."

A detailed announcement will be made soon once all legal formalities have been concluded.

The next big event on CEF Carbon's marketing calendar is an African Carbon Markets Expo to be hosted by the United Nations in Senegal in September. It will focus on the development of carbon markets on the continent.