SME Finance News and Events: Your Monthly Round-up
December 2023 Edition
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Editor's Pick
Must Read Reports
Innovations in Financial Services for MSME
SME Finance Forum
Handbook for Scaling Irrigation Systems
IFC
Building Green: Sustainable Construction in Emerging Markets
IFC
OECD: Financing SMEs for sustainability - Drivers, Constraints and Policies
OECD
World Economic Forum
UNDP
Finding value in generative AI for financial services
Technology Review
The Sustainability Assessment and Improvement Tool for Midsize Growth Companies
IFC
Regional Highlights
Business Case Update #6 Lower Nonperforming Loans (NPLs) for Women-Owned SMEs: The data shows why financial institutions should pay greater attention to women’s SME and retail segments. Women-owned SME (W-SME) loan portfolios consistently exhibit lower NPLs than total SME portfolios. In a surveyed sample of 140 IFC client financial institutions (FIs) in 2022, the average NPL ratio for loan portfolios of WSMEs was 3.6%, significantly lower than the average NPL ratio for total SME loan portfolios (4.7%), comprising men- and women-owned SMEs.
Boosting support to SMEs and women-led businesses in Paraguay: The investment of US$112.5 million in Banco Continental SAECA includes a senior “A” loan of US$50 million, a “B” loan of US$25 million, and a trust loan under IFC’s Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program (MCPP) of US$37.5 million.
Upcoming Events
COP28 Event: Bridging the Climate Finance Gap: Leveraging Carbon Markets to Mobilize Private Capital
World Bank
05 Dec, 2023
COP28 Event: Unlocking the Potential of Railways through Climate Finance
World Bank
06 Dec, 2023
Defining Pathways for Nature Finance
World Bank
09 Dec, 2023
Training - Sustainable MSME finance into practice and profit
SME Finance Forum
06 Feb, 2024
Immersion Program - First National Bank, FNB
21-22 Feb, 2024
SME Finance Headlines
Global
OECD - Recommendation of the Council on SME Financing
SME Finance Forum
Black Friday causes heightened anxiety for almost 70% of small business owners
Business Matters
UK Export Finance unveils extra support for SME exporters
Gov.uk
Asia Pacific
SDFC, the Maldives’ first financial institution focused on MSMEs, joins the SME Finance Forum
SME Finance Forum
India to lead global effort to tap MSME potential: Sitharaman
Financial Express
SME Finance Forum member Uplinq
IFC Press
IFC Press
Enterprise Financing: Government industrial funds expand SME financing channels in China
News.cgtn
How Singapore got so good at SME banking
Asia Money
[Registration Required]
NBC disseminates financial awareness in Kampong Thom and SR
Khmer Times
Wing Bank to offer Agri-SME loans, quicken sector growth
Phnom Penh Post
Sewing success: Bangladesh renews global ties to fuel next wave of apparel growth
Apparel Resources
Sri Lanka to get more ADB, WB budget support loans after IMF review
Economy Next
HBL, Visa to support women SMEs
The News
Yahoo Finance
Empowering Malaysian SMEs through Special OGSE Financing
The Edge Malaysia
SMEs close down operations amid mounting debts
The Nation
Transforming MSME lending in India by leveraging advancements in credit decision support technology and contextual data
SME Finance Forum
Middle East and North Africa
IFC Invests in CRDB Bank’s First Green Bond to Finance Climate-friendly Development in Tanzania
IFC Press
Middle East turns to sustainability supply-chain financing
Euro Money
Dubai launches US$ 136 million venture capital fund designed to finance technology startups
Yahoo Finance
Abu Dhabi launches SME Finance Facilitator program to propel sector
Arab News
Mideast conflict could force gaze of financial institutions away from global economic challenges
Arab News
Why has Kuwait’s startup ecosystem fallen behind?
Wamda
Germany Commits to Funding Sustainable Energy Initiatives Across Africa
Tech in Africa
Shaping a prosperous intra-Africa trade landscape
African Business
Ecobank and African Guarantee Fund Sign Transformative USD 200 Million Risk-Sharing Agreement
Zawya
Continued growth of Africa’s FinTechs can unlock greater economic prosperity
Tech Trends KE
Jordan’s credit rating remains steady amid regional challenges
Arab News
New EBRD programme supports youth entrepreneurship in Morocco
EBRD
Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean
IFC Partners with Raiffeisen Bank to Boost Sustainable Growth in Romania
IFC Press
IFC Press
IFC Invests in Banco Continental to Increase Lending to SMEs and Women-led SMEs in Paraguay
IFC Press
Afreximbank to raise facility to CARICOM states to $3bn
Business Day
EBRD and Ardshinbank provide fresh funds for Armenian firms, partially supported by the EU
EBRD
APEC Bolsters Efforts for Green Transition, Local Business Support
Mirage News
EBRD and Swiss government support women-led businesses in the Kyrgyz Republic
EBRD
New green finance for SMEs and underserved individuals in North Macedonia
EBRD
Visa pledges $100 million to enhance support for underserved and women-led micro, small businesses
Financial Express
EBRD and Sweden back women-led SMEs in and outside of Ukraine
EBRD
Saudi development fund commits $90m for infrastructure development in Caribbean states
Arab News
EBRD expands cooperation with HSBC in Armenia
EBRD
Caribbean Export and Business France join forces to catalyze private sector growth in the Caribbean
EU Reporter
EBRD and EU support Serbian SME’s green transition
EBRD
EBRD loan to Banka për Biznes boosts MSMEs in Kosovo
EBRD