by Stephen Son -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: International Finance Corporation (IFC), a Member of the World Bank Group, to Invest $10.9m in I&P Capital II, a Private Equity Fund for Microfinance in Africa’s Indian Ocean Nations

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a EUR 7 million (USD 10.9 million) investment in I&P Capital II, a private equity fund that finances small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) in Africa’s Indian Ocean nations.

by Stephen Son -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: International Finance Corporation (IFC), a Member of the World Bank Group, to Invest $45m in Britain’s Standard Chartered Bank to Expand Microfinance in Africa and Asia

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, will partner with Britain’s Standard Chartered Bank, a commercial bank, by investing USD 45 million for bank-issued credit-linked notes, which will allow the bank to increase lending to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Africa and Asia.

by Stephen Son -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: International Finance Corporation (IFC) to Invest $33m in Dominican Republic’s Centro Financiero BHD, a Provider of Microfinance and Other Financial Services

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, will invest USD 33 million in return for a nine percent stake in Centro Financiero BHD, a financial services holding company in the Dominican Republic.

by the MicroCapital Team -

PRESS RELEASE: Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), World Bank Member International Finance Corporation (IFC), Palestine Investment Fund, Bank of Palestine Partner on Housing Finance for the Poor in West Bank and Gaza

Source: International Finance Corporation (IFC).

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Independent Evaluation Group of International Finance Corporation (IFC) to Hold Panel at the World Bank on Its New Book “Financing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises through Financial Intermediaries”

PANEL DISCUSSION ON “FINANCING MICRO, SMALL, AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES THROUGH FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES”

APRIL 11, 2008, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

The Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank InfoShop Public Information Center will host a panel discussion at the launch of the IEG Study on Financing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises through Financial Intermediaries. The event will bring together evaluators, financiers, practitioners and a microfinance bank to will talk about micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the developing world. The chair of the discussion will be Marvin Taylor-Dormond, Director of IEG. The panelists for the discussion include:

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Tenth Annual Global Private Equity Conference to Be Held by International Finance Corporation (IFC), Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA)

TENTH ANNUAL IFC GLOBAL PRIVATE EQUITY CONFERENCE

MAY 15-16, 2008, WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES

International Finance Corporation (IFC), in association with the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA), presents this conference themed “Creating Opportunities and Building Value.” As emerging markets private equity continues to raise unprecedented funds for investment, this conference will explore the creation of opportunities and building value. A USD 200 discount, available until April 4, is reflected in the following prices: USD 1295 for general registration and USD 895 for EMPEA members and international financial institutions. Details and online registration are available at the conference website or via Cathy Fenn at +1 516 765 9005 x21.

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: CGAP, DFID, IFC, GSM Association Organize Mobile Money Summit in Cairo

2008 MOBILE MONEY SUMMIT: EXPANDING MARKETS, TRANSFORMING LIVES

MAY 14-15, 2008, CAIRO, EGYPT

This conference is designed for senior executives from financial services institutions, mobile network operators, development organizations, solutions vendors and regulatory and policy makers. The inaugural event will cover prime markets, showcase new solutions and share key success factors and learnings from around the world. The goal of the Summit is to stimulate greater understanding and collaboration among local and global stakeholders. The organizers aim to equip participants to develop and deploy their own Mobile Money portfolio effectively, efficiently and at scale.

by Melissa Duscha -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: The FT and IFC 2008 Sustainable Banking Awards for Microfinance Institutions and Investors Extended Entry Deadline to March 10

 The 2008 Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards has extended their submission deadline to March 10. The awards will be presented in London on June 3, 2008 following the 2008 FT/IFC Sustainable Banking Conference.

by Priya Rajdev -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Citi teams with IFC to Support Expansion of BRAC Microlending in Bangladesh with USD 22M, Part of USD 55M Financing Deal

In a deal announced earlier this month and finalized last week the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank group, has teamed up with Citigroup to loan USD 22 million to the microlending efforts of the Bangladeshi-based organization BRAC, formerly known as the Bangladeshi Rural Action Committee. The trenche is part of a larger financing plan of USD 55 million, of which USD 42 million will be provided by Citi. Citi Bangladesh and BRAC have worked together in the past several years to provide innovative microcredit solutions for Bangladesh, most recently in the first-ever implementation of a backstop facility for a microbank, which allows BRAC to lean on Citi in unfavorable market conditions rather than default on creditors.

by Stephen Son -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: International Finance Corporation (IFC), a Member of the World Bank Group, to Lend $20m in Debt and Invest $400k in Advisory Services to Banco Ficohsa of Honduras

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, will invest up to USD 20 million in debt and USD 400,000 in advisory services for the expansion of the small and medium enterprise (SME) lending and housing finance operations of Banco Ficohsa, the third largest bank in Honduras.

by Melissa Duscha -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: FT and IFC Launch 2008 Sustainable Banking Awards for Microfinance Institutions and Investors

The 2008 Financial Times Sustainable Banking Awards will be held in London on June 3, 2008. Started in 2006, in partnership with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), the FT Sustainable Banking Awards recognizes banks that have shown leadership and innovation in integrating social, environmental and corporate governance objectives into their operations.

by Jake Keller -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: International Finance Corporation (IFC), a Member of the World Bank Group, Extends $2.5m Loan to Zhong An Credit, a Chinese Microfinance Institution

In a press release, the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, announced that they will supply Zhong An Credit, of Shenzhen, China with a USD 2.5 million convertible loan to “grow its business and extend loans to underserved segments of the market, including microentrepreneurs, small businesses, and other small cash-generation activities that find it difficult to obtain access to finance.”