Tag: IFC

IFC and Standard Bank Partner to Support Renewable Energy and Affordable Housing in South Africa

Stuart Mitchell

To increase access to finance for renewable energy and affordable housing in South Africa, IFC have announced a partnership with Standard Bank Group, one of the biggest banking groups in Africa. IFC’s $300 million sustainable Tier 2 capital loan will allow Standard Bank South Africa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Bank Group, to on-lend and support renewable energy projects and home loans to low-income home buyers in South Africa, 50 percent of which will be used for home loans to women borrowers. IFC sponsored $260 million of this loan…

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​IFC and DBS Launch US$500 Million Facility to Promote Trade Flows in Emerging Markets

Stuart Mitchell

IFC and DBS Bank Limited (DBS) have signed a US$500 million facility under IFC’s Global Trade Liquidity Program (GTLP). The facility aims to promote capital and trade flows in emerging markets across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, help bridge the record US$2.5 trillion global trade finance gap1 and accelerate economic progress across these regions. The facility includes IFC and DBS sharing the risk equally on a portfolio of trade-related assets of up to US$500 million. This enhances DBS’ capacity to support more trade financing – such as…

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New Report Urges Fintech Firms to Target Women Customers in Emerging Markets for Financial Inclusion

Stuart Mitchell

Fintech firms could do more to intentionally target women customers in emerging markets. According to a new IFC report released today, by using business strategies informed by analyzing sex-disaggregated data, fintech firms could capitalize on the women’s market while contributing to greater financial inclusion for women. Fintech and digital financial services have been considered a game-changer for women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment. Until now, there has been limited research that quantifies the degree to which fintech firms are actively addressing women’s financial inclusion and the specific strategies that are…

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IFC Green Loan to Help Boost Renewable Energy in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam

Stuart Mitchell

A new investment through a green loan facility will help develop more renewable energy projects in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam, with IFC’s $64 million to Sermsang Palang Ngan Company Limited (SPN) aiming to address the region’s growing energy demand. The financing package includes an IFC loan of up to $32 million (THB1.2 billion) and a parallel loan from Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) for a similar amount. IFC’s funding will help SPN finance the acquisition, development, and construction of renewable projects—especially solar farms, solar rooftops, and biomass—in Thailand as well as…

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IFC Launches Flagship Gender Program to Boost Women’s Employment in India

Stuart Mitchell

To help recruit, retain, and promote more women across India’s private sector, IFC recently launched the India Gender Collaborative. The 12-month flagship gender program aims to catalyze economic participation of women in the country while fostering gender parity and inclusion. IFC will spearhead the India Gender Collaborative by bringing together the World Bank, the International Labour Organization, and UN Women to highlight how integrating more women into business operations can increase companies’ profitability and contribute to shared prosperity. IFC’s flagship program will equip businesses to close gender gaps while contributing…

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