Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reportedly recommended the appointment of Dr Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, as the next president of the World Bank, an institution that provides loans to developing countries.
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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Tanzania to Introduce Microfinance Act, Establish Credit Bureau, Offer Financial Education
The Tanzanian government has begun drafting a Microfinance Act that will provide a legal, regulatory and supervisory framework for microfinance operations, according to a statement attributed to Harry Ndambala, manager of the microfinance supervision department of the Bank of Tanzania, the central bank of the country.
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Competition, Loan Rates, and Information in Microcredit Markets; Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Snapshot; and Economic Strengthening of the Bottom Billion
“Competition, Loan Rates and Information Dispersion in Microcredit Markets” by G. Baquero, Malika Hamadi, and Andréas Heinen; published by the European School of Management and Technology; November 21, 2011; 58 pages; available at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2006485&
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microinsurance Network Opens Membership Registration for 2012
Microinsurance Network, a member-based organization that works to advance insurance in poor countries, has opened membership registration for 2012.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Mexico, Indonesia, Haiti Use Tiered Savings Account Requirements to Promote Financial Inclusion
Mexico, Indonesia and Haiti are responding to the challenge of balancing financial access with security by creating tiered requirements for savings accounts.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Credit Bureau, MiDAS, Launched by Microfinance Institutions in Philippines
Microfinance institutions (MFIs) Taytay Sa Kauswagan Incorporated (TSKI), Opportunity Kauswagan Bank, CARD Bank, CARD NGO, Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation Incorporated, Ahon Sa Hirap and ASA Philippines signed a memorandum of agreement creating the Microfinance Data Sharing System (MiDAS) in January of this year after an initial pilot phase in 2011 [1].
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Poverty Scorecard for Afghanistan, Implementing Microfinance Information Systems, Improving Client Value from Microinsurance
“A Simple Poverty Scorecard for Afghanistan” by Mark Schreiner; published by Microfinance Risk Management LLC; January 2012; 117 pages; available at http://www.microfinance.com/#Afghanistan
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Role Reversal Revisited, Microinsurance Profitability Business Case, Trends in Cross-Border Funding
“Role Reversal Revisited,” by Damian von Stauffenberg and Daniel Rozas, published by MicroRate, 2011, 22 pages, available at http://microrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Role-Reversal-Revisited-…
This paper reviews the roles of development finance institutions (DFIs) and private lenders in funding microfinance institutions (MFIs).
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: European Sustainable Investment Forum’s (EUROSIF’s) European SRI Transparency Code Attracts 350 Signatories
The European SRI Transparency Code, a document outlining guidelines for maintaining the transparency of socially responsible investing (SRI), has attracted approximately 350 signatories.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Development Seed, Key2Flex Offer Geospatial Technology Services to Analyze Availability of Financial Services in Developing Countries
Geospatial mapping is being used to show the geographic distribution of banks, automated teller machines (ATMs) and banking agents in relation to low-income and other population groups, thus giving an indication of the accessibility of financial services to those groups.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroRate Founder Damian von Stauffenberg is First to be Named to LuxFLAG Microfinance Label Eligibility Committee
The Luxembourg Fund Labelling Agency (LuxFLAG), a microfinance investment vehicle (MIV) and environment-related investment vehicle (EIV) certification organization, recently announced that Mr Damian von Stauffenberg, the founder of US-based microfinance rating agency MicroRate, has been named to the eligibility committee of LuxFLAG’s Microfinance Label [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance CEO Working Group Issues Road Map for Microfinance Industry Promoting Smart Campaign, Microfinance Transparency, Social Performance Task Force
A group of eight CEOs of nonprofit microfinance organizations has issued a “Road Map for the Microfinance Industry: Focusing on Responsible and Client-Centered Microfinance.”
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroRate, LuxFlag Launch Luminis Looking to Increase Transparency of Microfinance Funds
MicroRate, a US-based microfinance rating agency, with the financial support of the Luxembourg government and the nonprofit Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency (LuxFLAG), has launched the “beta” version of Luminis, a web-based platform focused on increasing the transparency of microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs).
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases 2010 Latin America & the Caribbean Regional Snapshot
The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), a US-based nonprofit organization that publishes financial and social performance information from microfinance stakeholders, recently released an analysis of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Latin America and the Caribbean based on 2010 data.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: “SANAD Fund for MSME” to Loan $5m to BLC Bank of Lebanon for On-Lending to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
SANAD Fund for MSME, a Luxembourg-based investment fund, has invested in Lebanon for the first time with a USD 5 million loan to BLC Bank sal, a Lebanese commercial bank.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen-Jameel Achieves 1.5m Microfinance Clients Reached, $53m Facilitated
Grameen-Jameel, a joint venture of the US-based Grameen Foundation and the UK-based Abdul Latif Jameel Foundation, recently announced in its first “partners’ meeting” that it has reached 1.5 million clients through its partner microfinance institutions (MFIs) [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank Approves $100m Loan to Facilitate Implementation of “Financial Consolidation and Inclusion Project” in Mexico
The World Bank’s (WB’s) Board of Directors recently approved a loan of USD 100 million to support the “Financial Consolidation and Inclusion Project” in Mexico.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Philippine Central Bank May Raise Microfinance Loan Ceiling, Roll Out Central Credit Information Corporation (CCIC) by Year End
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine central bank, reportedly is considering an increase in the ceiling for microfinance loans from the current PHP 150,000 (USD 3,445).