There is a danger that well-meaning international sustainable development goals (SDGs) and environment, social, governance (ESG) requirements may actually heighten the trade finance gap and limit funding even further to African SMEs. There is an emerging risk that the environmental element of ESG completely precludes and overrides the social and governance aspects, not to mention the United Nations' (UN’s) 17 SDGs.  The harsh reality is that much of the continent depends on extractive industries for survival, with Africa currently running on diesel and coal––albeit contributing only 3% of emissions globally. Shut these off, and fragile economies won’t just falter and fail, but people will suffer. Trade is estimated to contribute up to a third of gross domestic product (GDP) growth in developing African economies, SMEs employ as much as 85% of the population, and trade is the ultimate supply mechanism for food security, health, industrialisation, and infrastructure in African economies. Wilson added, "There are billions, perhaps trillions, of dollars in the impact and alternative investment market looking for an ESG, or sustainable, home for their investment dollars. It could very elegantly solve the trade gap and provide them with safe, really sustainable, financing opportunities and investments."  Industry policymakers and traders worldwide can look toward the 2021 ICC Standards for Sustainable Trade and Sustainable Trade Finance positioning paper as a marker of sustainable trade's parameters.  The ICC’s roadmap to sustainability in the trade sector is a step in the right direction for the developed market, but there needs to be more input from emerging markets and, specifically, African trade finance.  As such, under the auspices of the African Regional Committee, ITFA will soon be releasing a positioning paper on 'Sustainable Trade Finance and African Trade', which intends to amplify the African voice in the proposed standards for sustainable trade finance.   This will hopefully help improve delivery on all of the UN’s SDGs through African trade, reduce the trade gap, and leverage the full benefit of the burgeoning African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) developments.