by A'kos Szebeni -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: New Ventures Mexico to Host 4th Annual “Latin American Impact Investment Forum (FLII),” February 18 – 20, 2014, Merida, Mexico

Event Name: Latin American Impact Investment Forum (Foro Latinoamericano de Inversion de Impacto)

Event Date: February 18 – 20, 2014

Event Location: Hyatt Regency, Merida, Mexico

by Tejas Jain -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Absolute Portfolio Management Loans $18m from Dual Return Funds to Microfinance Institutions in Asia, Latin America

Absolute Portfolio Management (APM), an Austrian firm that invests in microfinance and other sectors, recently disbursed loans totaling USD 18.5 million for microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ecuador, El Salvador, Georgia, India, Peru, Sri Lanka and Tajikistan [1].

by A'kos Szebeni -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to Loan $64.8m to Banque Tuniso-Kowetienne of Tunisia for On-lending to Micro-, Small, Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), Trade Financing

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a UK-based multilateral development bank, recently announced that it will extend a loan of EUR 40 million (USD 54.8 million) to Banque Tuniso-Kowetienne (BTK), a Tunisia-based commercial bank.

by Tejas Jain -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Applications Open for Vodafone Americas Foundation’s $600,000 Wireless Innovation Project Contest

Vodafone Americas Foundation, a US-based subsidiary of UK-based Vodafone Group, has devised the Wireless Innovation Project, a contest to encourage the implementation of wireless technology to tackle social issues across the globe.

by Tejas Jain -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroVest to Manage Calvert Foundation’s $50m Microfinance Investment Portfolio

Calvert Foundation, a US-based nonprofit organization specializing in social impact investment, recently announced that MicroVest Capital Management, a US-based private microfinance investment firm, will manage its USD 50 million microfinance investment portfolio.

by Megan McGowan -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Airtel, Nico Insurance Zambia to Offer Mobile Insurance

Bharti Airtel (Airtel), an India-based telecommunications provider, reportedly is expanding the range of services that users in Zambia can pay for with its ‘Airtel Money’ mobile money service to include insurance. Airtel’s 1.8 million customers in the country will now be able to purchase insurance policies from Nico Insurance Zambia, an insurance provider and subsidiary of Malawi-based Nico Holdings Limited.

by Megan McGowan -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Global Financial Development Report 2014,” Published by the World Bank

“Global Financial Development Report 2014,” published by The World Bank, January 2014, 225 pages, available at http://econ.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTGLOBALFINREPORT/0,,menuPK:8816192~pagePK:64168176~piPK:64168140~theSitePK:8816097,00.html

This report draws on research and analysis of the global financial services market to address the needs of low-income people that do not have access to financial services and recommends policies that the authors believe would increase financial inclusion.

by Nisha Koul -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: UK’s CDC Group Makes $16m Equity Investment as Part of $36m Package for Equitas

The CDC Group, a development finance institution owned by the UK government’s Department for International Development, has made an equity investment of USD 16 million in Equitas Holdings Private Limited (Equitas), a microfinance company based in Chennai, India [1].

by Meraj Husain -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Standard Chartered Bank Loans $5m to Cambodia’s Prasac for Microlending

The Indian unit of UK-based commercial institution Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) recently notified MicroCapital that it has disbursed a loan of USD 5 million to Cambodia’s Prasac, a microlender that seeks to support agricultural development.

by Megan McGowan -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank’s International Development Association Donating $50m to Support Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA), Afghanistan Credit Guarantee Facility

The World Bank, a US-based multilateral institution, recently approved grants totaling USD 50 million to the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA), a government-backed microfinance funder, and the Afghanistan Credit Guarantee Facility, an organization that provides partial risk guarantees on loans retail institutions disburse to small- and medium-sized enterprises, in an effort to stimulate economic growth in the country by increasing access to financial services for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

by Meraj Husain -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Prudential Purchases Controlling Stake in Ghana’s Express Life Insurance From LeapFrog Investments

UK-based life insurance firm Prudential plc has purchased a majority stake in Ghanaian microinsurance provider Express Life Insurance Company from LeapFrog Investments, a private equity fund based in Mauritius.

by Charlotte Newman -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Deutsche Bank Secures $75m for Microfinance Enhancement Facility for On-lending to Micro-, Small Enterprises

Deutsche Bank, a German financial services company, recently secured USD 75 million in financing from unspecified private investors for the Microfinance Enhancement Facility (MEF), a microfinance investment vehicle, for on-lending via retail financial institutions to micro- and small enterprises in middle and low-income countries.

by Nisha Koul -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Incofin Investment Management Seeking to Raise $200m for “agRIF” Fund for Small-Scale Agriculture

Incofin Investment Management (Incofin IM), a Belgium-based manager of microfinance investment funds including two “Rural Impulse Funds” (RIFs), has announced the launch of “agRIF”, which is targeted to raise USD 200 million to invest in institutions that provide financial services to “small-scale” farmers [1].

by Makai McClintock -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Clarion to Host “Mobile Money and Digital Payments Asia 2014,” January 21-23, 2014, Jakarta, Indonesia

Event Name: Mobile Money and Digital Payments Asia 2014

Event Date: January 21 – January 23, 2014

Event Location: Ritz Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia

by Nisha Koul -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Magenta Global to Host “5th Annual Mobile Payments & E-Commerce Emerging Markets/Asia Pacific 2014 Summit,” February 13-14, 2014, Yangon, Myanmar

Event Name: 5th Annual Mobile Payments & E-Commerce Emerging Markets/Asia Pacific 2014 Summit

Event Date: February 13 – February 14, 2014

Event Location: Inya Lake Hotel, Yangon, Myanmar