MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a Microfinance Investment Fund Based in Luxembourg, Signs its Largest Loan Agreement to Date, a $33m Senior Loan to Banca Intesa, Commercial Bank in Serbia, to be On-lent to Micro- and Small Enterprises (MSEs)

The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a microfinance investment fund based in Luxembourg, has signed its largest loan agreement to date, a EUR 25 million senior loan, the equivalent of over USD 33.5 million, to Banca Intesa, a commercial bank in Serbia, which will be on-lent to micro- and small enterprises (MSEs).

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Third Annual Global Microfinance Investment Congress to Be Hosted in New York City May 24 – May 26, 2010 by PlaNet Finance

Event Name: Third Annual Global Microfinance Investment Congress

Event Date: May 24 – May 26, 2010

Event Location: New York, New York

Event Website: http://www.microfinancecongress.com/

See Our Comprehensive Event Calendar Here: http://microfinanceassociation.ning.com/events

Cost: Congress only – USD 1595; Congress and Workshop – USD 2095. Discounts available for early registration (by March 26 and by April 16) as well as a USD 200 discount MicroCapital Monitor subscribers.

Summary of Event: The Global Microfinance Investor Congress intends to provide a place for representatives of microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs), microfinance institutions (MFIs) and other industry stakeholders to meet, collaborate and share best practices.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Investors Launch Microfinance Growth Fund (MIGRoF), a Lending Facility for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB’s) Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), a fund that finances micro- and small enterprises (MSEs); the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC), a member of the IDB that helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) gain access to finance; and the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), an institution that mobilizes financial resources in Latin America, recently launched the Microfinance Growth Fund (MIGRoF), a facility expected to provide the equivalent of USD 250 million in medium- and long-term loans to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Latin America and the Caribbean.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases 2009 Benchmarking Report on Latin America and Caribbean Region

The nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) has released the 2009 Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report in English and Spanish.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Institution (MFI) Equity Valuations Rise in 2009 as Portfolio Quality Falls, Says Report by JP Morgan and CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor)

A new report by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and JP Morgan shows that despite the global financial crisis, microfinance institution (MFI) equity valuations continued to rise across all regions during 2009.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: AccessBank, a Microfinance Institution (MFI) Located in Azerbaijan, Reaches $300m in Loans Disbursed to 100,000 Customers

According to a recent press release, AccessBank, a microfinance institution (MFI) located in Azerbaijan, now has a loan portfolio that is over USD 300 million and over 100,000 customers.

MEET THE BOSS: Discussions on Microfinance Investment Vehicles (MIVs): Interview with Gil Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of MicroVest Capital Management

Mr. Crawford is Chief Executive Officer of MicroVest Capital Management, responsible for the development, management and growth of MicroVest, including developing and implementing business development strategies and supervising investment deals. He led the launch of MicroVest I, LP, a commercial private equity vehicle focused on microfinance in North America. He has over 20 years of experience with microfinance institutions (MFIs) and capital markets and has worked in Latin America, Africa and Asia. 

Previously, Mr. Crawford worked for the Latin American Financial Markets Division at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), created and ran Seed Capital Development Fund and was the Assistant Project Director for Africa Venture Capital Project. Mr. Crawford received his bank training at Chase Manhattan Bank in the mid 1980’s after working in Africa for the Red Cross and the US State Department. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) (US) in 1983 and Bates College (US) in 1980.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Newsweek Article Examines Importance of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Post-Disaster Environments

A recent article in US-based Newsweek magazine entitled ‘Big Crisis, Small Help’ examines the importance of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in mitigating crises in post-disaster environments.

MICROFINANCE EVENT: C5 Hosts Conference and Workshop on Microfinance and Small Enterprise Investments in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Event Name: C5’s Microfinance and Small Enterprise Investments Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) Regional Summit

Event Date: April 15 – April 16, 2010

Event Location: Budapest, Hungary

Event Website: http://www.microfinanceeeca.com/

See Our Comprehensive Event Calendar Here: http://microfinanceassociation.ning.com/events

Cost: Prices range from GBP 399 to GBP 1598 (USD 620 to USD 2480). Prices vary with the type of organization the attendee represents and whether the attendee wishes to participate in the workshop in addition to, or instead of, the conference. See http://www.microfinanceeeca.com/price.html for more details

Summary of Event:

The two-day conference and workshop will address issues ranging from the effects of the global financial crisis on microfinance institutions (MFIs) to opportunities for commercial banks to begin offering microcredit.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) Works With Inecobank To Expand Microfinance Access in Armenia

With the assistance of performance-based grants from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Inecobank will expand its microfinance services in Armenia’s rural sector.

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: The Eighth Annual Women’s World Banking (WWB) Microfinance and the Capital Markets Conference, March 23-24, 2010, New York, New York

Event Name: The Eighth Annual Women’s World Banking Microfinance and the Capital Markets Conference
Event Date: March 23-24, 2010

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MIX Releases MicroBanking Bulletin No. 19, Providing Insight Into the Impact of the Global Economic and Financial Slowdown on the Microfinance Industry

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), a business information and data services provider for the global microfinance industry, recently released the latest issue of The Microbanking Bulletin, an industry journal of microfinance performance.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Chief Olutayo Adenekan, the Lagos State Chairman of the National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), Still Working to Implement Intervention Fund to Provide Short-Term Financial Support to Microfinance Banks

Chief Olutayo Adenekan, the Lagos State chairman of the National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), is reportedly still working to implement an intervention fund to provide short-term financial support to microfinance banks [1,2,3].

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Moroccan Government Supports Microfinance Industry’s Path to Recovery in 2010

According to a paper published by Mr Xavier Reille of CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), “Few countries boasted as strong and as vibrant a microfinance sector than Morocco, where microfinance institutions (MFIs) saw the size of their combined loan portfolio multiply 11 times between 2004 and 2007.”