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Sep 2019
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T. Radjy, Founder and CEO of AlphaMundi: Mainstreaming Impact Finance - Major Momentum and Gaps in the Transformation of the Financial Industry
September, 30 2019
Global - Even though many consider impact investing as a niche, we need to mainstream these impact finance practices to transform the rules of the game, and bring sustainable finance into the realm of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ...
IFC Injects $1mn in Tunisian Anava Seed Fund to Support SMEs
September, 30 2019
Tunisia - The new investment is part of the $30 million “Startup Catalyst” initiative that supports seed funds in emerging markets. ...
India: SMEs-focused Lending Platform Clix Capital Rakes in $40mn from AION Capital
September, 30 2019
India - In the SME segment, Clix lends to schools, small businesses and healthcare, whereas consumer can apply for a hassle-free loan for travel, education, wedding, medical emergency, two-wheeler, and buying a home ...
85 Firms Apply to Operate under Mexico’s New Fintech Law
September, 28 2019
Mexico - With the issuance of the fintech law in March 2018, the government intends to reduce the amount of cash in circulation in order to curtail money laundering and corruption, as well as bring more people into the formal economy ...
Uganda: Opportunity Bank Granted Commercial Bank License
September, 27 2019
Uganda - Opportunity Bank Uganda Limited has been granted a license to operate as a commercial bank by Bank of Uganda. This brings the number of commercial banks in the country to 25 ...
AfDB Offers $8mn Credit to Guinea’s Vista Bank to Boost Agricultural SMEs
September, 27 2019
Guinea - This financial support should help support a dozen small and medium-sized enterprises microfinance institutions active in the agricultural value chain in Guinea. ...
Does Impact Investing Always Have to Be Higher Risk?
September, 27 2019
Global - Are the traditionally held beliefs regarding costs, due diligence and extended return timelines a true reflection of modern impact investing? Does investing with your values mean you have to sacrifice on returns ...
UBS and Hermes Team up for High Yield Impact Fund
September, 26 2019
Global - Hermes Investment Management and its US owner Federated Investors have teamed up with Swiss giant UBS to launch a new SDG Engagement High Yield Credit fund ...
M. Ahmed, President of the Center for Global Development: Time to Get Serious about Financing the SDGs
September, 26 2019
Global - At a time of growing skepticism about the merits of international cooperation, making the necessary mid-course correction on financing for development will ensure that the SDGs do not end up as an unfulfilled aspiration ...
EBRD Launches Women in Business Program in Montenegro
September, 25 2019
Montenegro - In addition to financing, women entrepreneurs will also receive business advice to make their businesses more competitive, as well as training, mentoring and network-building services. ...
India: Aavishkaar Group Scoops up $37mn in Fresh Financing from Dutch Development Bank
September, 25 2019
India - The impact investment platform will use the proceeds to further push into Africa and Southeast Asia; Is targeting AUM of $7 billion by 2025-26 ...
India: Dvara KGFS Raises Rs 70 Crore from Nordic Microfinance Initiative
September, 25 2019
India - Dvara KGFS on Wednesday announced that it had raised Rs 70 crore from Nordic Microfinance Initiative (NMI) in the final phase to the Series E round of equity infusion. ...
No Room for Coal in Africa’s Renewable Future, Says AfDB President
September, 25 2019
Africa - African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina on Tuesday unveiled ambitious plans to scrap coal power stations across the continent and switch to renewable energy at United Nations climate talks on Monday ...
Kenya: $100 Million from IFC and Water.org for Banks that Finance Drinking Water
September, 24 2019
Kenya - The funds are intended to cover part of the investments of Kenyan commercial banks in drinking water and sanitation projects in underserved areas ...
ESG Investing Throws Up Dilemmas in Emerging Markets
September, 24 2019
Emerging markets - If investors simply weight their portfolios towards more ESG-friendly securities, they will starve the countries arguably most in need of funding, and lend more to those that already have better access to the markets, raising a fresh set of ethical and moral issues ...
One-third of World's Banking Industry Pledges to Align Business with SDGs
September, 24 2019
Global - A group of 130 banks is on board to reorient the industry away from a purely profit focus to a new paradigm where social and environmental impacts matter, too. ...
EBRD Raises USD 700m from Climate Resilience Bond
September, 24 2019
Eastern Europe, Central Asia & MENA - The proceeds from the issuance will be used to fund the EBRD’s existing and new climate resilience projects that are in line with the Climate Resilience Principles, a guide to sustainable investing published recently by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) ...
India: Why SHGs Are So Popular among Women
September, 19 2019
India - New research from the World Bank sheds light on why SHGs are so popular and how they can change lives ...
IFC Crosses $10 Billion Threshold for Green Bond Issuance
September, 19 2019
Global - IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, today crossed the $10 billion threshold in cumulative green bond issuance, after a trade with Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund, GPIF ...
Can 'Climate Finance' Fund a Transition to a Low-carbon Economy?
September, 19 2019
Global - UN Climate Action Summit hopes to catalyse the private sector to lead global shift away from fossil fuels to renewables ...
Mexican Solar Giant Reaches Financial Close
September, 18 2019
Mexico - Fotowatio Renewable Ventures and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation have reached financial close on the 296MW Potrero solar farm in Mexico ...
Inclusive Growth vs. Household Finance: A False Choice
September, 18 2019
Global - The emphasis on job creation has stirred up a debate about whether funders should direct their energies at expanding access to financial services for businesses instead of individuals. But this is a false choice ...
Sustainable Investing at All-time High, Says Morgan Stanley
September, 17 2019
Global - It may be time to finally put to rest the debate over whether sustainable investing is “mainstream.” A remarkable 85 percent of U.S. individual investors now express interest in sustainable investing strategies, according to a new study from the financial services firm Morgan Stanley ...
Kenya: Online Banking Still a Reserve for the Rich - Survey
September, 17 2019
Kenya - Deloitte’s Global Mobile Consumer Survey on the Kenyan market has shown the use of online banking applications for transfer of money still remains for consumers in the high-income bracket, with a high preference for use of mobile transfer services ...
Kazakhstan Sets 30% Interest Limit on Short-term Microloans
September, 17 2019
Kazakhstan - The Kazakh National Bank plans to limit the maximum interest rate on microloans to 30 percent, according to the recently drafted Resolution of the Board of the National Bank of Kazakhstan “On establishing the limit value of remuneration under the agreement on the provision of microloans. ...
Nigeria: FairMoney Raises $11 Million for Its Challenger Bank for Emerging Markets
September, 17 2019
Nigeria - FairMoney has a lending license in Nigeria to operate. The company will partner with MFIs to launch current accounts, savings and facilitate payments. Eventually, FairMoney hopes that it will get its own microfinance license from the central bank ...
South Africa: IFC, SECO to Bridge Financing Gap in Urban Infrastructure
September, 16 2019
South Africa - The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), have launched the Africa Cities Platform to help bridge the financing gap in urban infrastructure ...
India: Lenders of Micro Loans to Follow a Responsibility Code
September, 16 2019
India - A common ‘Code for Responsible Lending’ has been unveiled Monday to bar more than three lenders offering loans to a single borrower and cap the size of total lending to Rs 1 lakh per borrower ...
Using Donor-advised Funds to Invest in Early-Stage Entrepreneurs
September, 13 2019
Global - Why and how donors should use donor-advised funds to invest in impact investing, specifically venture investing, toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals ...
Denmark: PKA Pioneers SDGs in Emerging Markets
September, 13 2019
Denmark - Institutional investors are investing more in emerging markets in line with the SDGs and Denmark’s PKA pension fund is one fund that is leading the way ...
India: Payments Banks May Be Allowed to Convert into Small Finance Banks
September, 13 2019
India - Further, existing NBFCs, micro finance institutions and local area banks in the private sector that are controlled by residents and have a successful track record of five years can also opt for converting into SFBs ...
India: Arohan in Talks with Sovereign Wealth Funds, PEs to Raise $200 Mn
September, 12 2019
India - Founded in 2006, Arohan is backed by impact investment firm Aavishkaar-Intellecap group and claims to be the largest microfinance institution in east India. It currently looks to expand business before a public share sale ...
D. Flint, Chairman of Standard Life Aberdeen: Asia Has a Crucial Role in the Development of Sustainable Finance
September, 11 2019
Asia - The potential to effect beneficial global impact through ESG investment is far greater in Asia than in more developed markets, where ESG awareness has a longer history ...
IFC and Banco Sabadell Signed US$100 Million Loan to Boost the Development of Sustainable Projects in Mexico
September, 11 2019
Mexico - The International Finance Corporation (IFC), member of the World Bank Group, and Banco Sabadell, leading institution in digital banking in Mexico, have signed a US$100 million loan to boost the development of sustainable infrastructure in Mexico ...
AXA IM to Unveil Fourth Impact Investing Strategy
September, 11 2019
Global - AXA Investment Managers is expanding its suite of impact investment portfolios by launching a private market strategy focusing on opportunities that address the basic needs of emerging consumers across regions including Latin America, South and South East Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa ...
Has Fintech Closed the Credit Gap? Not by a Long Shot
September, 10 2019
Global - If funders want to spur job creation and economic growth, they’ll need to close the credit gap for small businesses in emerging markets. But to do this, they can’t depend solely on fintech ...
Lifting the Lid on Mexico’s Off-Grid Opportunity
September, 10 2019
Mexico - The solar-as-a-service model is showing promise among Mexican families without access to reliable electricity ...
India’s Unique Public Digital Platforms to Further Inclusion, Empowerment
September, 08 2019
India - By kick starting this virtuous cycle of innovation and adoption, these public digital platforms have proven to be useful in reaching an exponentially growing number of people at rapidly falling costs. ...
Sierra Leone: Enhancing Financial Inclusion
September, 06 2019
Sierra Leone - In a bid to make baking transactions easy, Sierra Leone’s leading GSM operator, Africell Mobile Company has partnered with the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank to unveil an innovative electronic payment service system ...
Goldman Sachs Lends $100 Million to Mexican Fintech Konfio
September, 06 2019
Mexico - Goldman Sachs Group Inc. is making another bet on a Latin American financial-technology startup, providing a secured credit facility of as much as $100 million to Mexico’s Konfio Ltd ...
How BRAC, the World’s Biggest Charity, Made Bangladesh Richer
September, 05 2019
Bangladesh - The anti-poverty programme it created, which involves giving assets and training to indigent women, has been copied by other charities and has been shown to work in countries as diverse as Ethiopia, Honduras and India ...
Cambodia: NGOs Ordered to Retract MFI Report
September, 05 2019
Cambodia - The government yesterday ordered two NGOs to retract a critical report on the negative impacts of microloans after summoning their representatives for a meeting to defend their research ...
Algorithm Bias in Credit Scoring: What’s Inside the Black Box?
September, 05 2019
Global - As digital financial services (DFS) expand around the world with the promise of improving financially excluded customers' access to more affordable products and services, the growing use of algorithms opens opportunities but also the possibility for unfair bias and discrimination ...
Good Fashion Fund to Invest in Supply Chain Innovation
September, 04 2019
South & East Asia - The Good Fashion Fund launches today, spearheading systemic change in the apparel and footwear supply chain by investing in the implementation of innovative technologies in India, Bangladesh and Vietnam ...
Philippines Revitalises Islamic Banking to Boost Financial Inclusion
September, 04 2019
Philippines - A new law announced this morning in the Philippines will seek to support the growth of Islamic finance, extending financial inclusivity to the country's minority Muslim population. ...
Accion Raises Funds to Invest in Seed Stage Financial Inclusion Fintech Startups
September, 04 2019
Global - Non-profit group Accion International is boosting its investment initiative for seed stage fintech startups working on financial inclusion, raising $23 million from investors and adding another $10 million from its own pocket. ...
UBS Assigns Millions to Impact Investing
September, 04 2019
Global - UBS has raised $225 million from private clients for an impact investment fund managed by KKR, the Swiss bank said in a statement on Wednesday ...
Lebanon: SANAD TAF and IFC Support Al Majmoua in Expanding Access to Finance
September, 03 2019
Lebanon - The Technical Assistance Facility of the SANAD Fund for MSME (SANAD TAF) has partnered with International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to assist Lebanese microfinance provider Al Majmoua in transforming from a non-profit NGO into a commercial financial institution, regulated by the Central Bank of Lebanon. ...
Impact Investing Creeps into the CLO Market
September, 02 2019
Global - The environmental, social and governance metrics that have become a familiar feature in the bond world are making an impression in ever more esoteric corners of debt markets ...
Schroders’ Deal Opens Way for More M&A in Impact Investing
September, 02 2019
Global - Large asset managers wishing to enter the field will look to acquire resources, says expert ...
Zimbabwe Women’s Bank Disburses $12m
September, 01 2019
Zimbabwe - THE Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank (ZWMB) has disbursed more than $12 million to over 34 000 clients since it opened doors to the public last year, an official has said ...

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