geo/tunisia
By ramping up their lending to female entrepreneurs, banks in Tunisia could dramatically increase their profits while also driving economic growth across the country, says a new report from IFC, a member of the World Bank Group.
The EBRD is providing Banque de Tunisie with a financing package that consists of a €50 million loan for on-lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and a US$ 20 million trade finance line that is expected to be signed shortly.
The SME market segment accounts for more than 90 per cent of all businesses in Tunisia. It is therefore a vital engine to provide jobs, build a modern diverse economy and to boost long-term, sustainable growth.
A law was proposed by Tunisia’s President, Beji Caid Essebsi, that equal inheritance be available for men and women.
Tunisia would be the first country in the Arab world, according to the article to implement equal inheritance, which would result in financial inclusion for Tunisia women.
Right now, “The inheritance law is a significant barrier for women,” shared Nabila Hamza, co-founder of the Tunisian Association for Democratic Women. “It reduces their economic autonomy. Only 12% [of Tunisian women] own a house and only 14% own land.”
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is scaling up its support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Tunisia with €10 million of additional funds from the European Union under the Programme d’Appui à la Compétitivité des Services (PACS Programme).
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting small firms in Tunisia by providing a €40 million loan to UBCI, for on-lending to micro, small and medium sized-enterprises (MSMEs).
We know that North African economies urgently need economic reforms, opportunities for youth, and greater economic inclusion. But what do we know about where the opportunities lie and – just as important – what are the greatest barriers that obstruct the growth of businesses?
A few salient insights emerged from a recent survey of 131 Egyptian and 100 Tunisian entrepreneurs and business owners, which was conducted by the Center on Development, Democracy, and the Rule of Law at Stanford in cooperation with CIPE. Many of the findings will come as no surprise — the business environment and entrepreneurial ecosystems have room to improve in both countries, and political uncertainty puts a drag on business. One major, policy-relevant finding is the need to address disparities in access to opportunity.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed, Monday afternoon in Tunis, two agreements to support Tunisian small- and medium-sized Enterprises (SME) and international trade," EBRD President Suma Chakrabarti said.
The World Bank approved an additional loan for US$100 million for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Tunisia. This additional support will help finance scaling up a project that has shown good results in improving access to finance for Tunisian MSMEs. It will also add lines of credit for loans to micro-entrepreneurs, and patient financing—that is, long term financing with a grace period—for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), according to the World Bank Group.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) today signed its first investment in the Tunisian financial sector, by providing a €40 million loan to BTK for on-lending to micro, small and medium sized-enterprises (MSMEs).
The loan is part of a financing package with BTK that also includes a US$ 10 million trade finance line, which is expected to be signed shortly.
