Date: February 12, 2015  Time: 2:00-3:30PM EST  Location: The World Bank, Main Complex, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Please join IFC, the World Bank, and the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund for an in-depth and stimulating discussion on financing SMEs growth in the world’s most challenging economies. SMEs are the engine of job growth in fragile and conflict-affected countries, but they face even greater barriers to success than their counterparts in non-fragile economies. During a one-hour workshop, panelists will review models through which they have provided much-needed financing (often with technical assistance) for SMEs. What are our definitions of success, and what models have seen success along these lines?

Speakers will include leaders of The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund and of IFC’s SME Ventures, SME Financing Facility, and Conflict-Affected States in Africa programs; and the World Bank’s experts in supporting SMEs in fragile and conflict-affected countries. The panel will delve into the details on such topics as how the programs have worked out in practicality; what scale their programs have achieved and whether they are replicable in different fragile/conflict-affected states; the impact of the program on job creation in their local economies; and how fragile and conflict situations have impacted the programs’ operations. 

Following the session, please join us for a networking reception, where panelists and guests can interact regarding areas of mutual interest in supporting SMEs in fragile and post-conflict countries.

Panelists and speakers will include:

• Chair: John Speakman, Lead Private Sector Development Specialist, The World Bank, and editor, The Small Entrepreneur in Fragile and Conflict-affected Situations
• Simon Bell, Global Lead on SME Finance, World Bank
• Florence Boupda, Senior Investment Officer, Financial Institutions Group/Global SME Financing Facility, IFC
• Hugh Scott, Director, The Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund
• Tracy Washington, Program Manager, SME Ventures, IFC
• Discussant: Michel Botzung, Fragile and Conflict Situations Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, IFC 

Webinar Material

Video recording
Blog post
Presentations (coming soon)

For more information contact

Betsy Alley, Host/organizer: BAlley@ifc.org