In its effort to support private sector development in Nepal, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a government agency that provides international economic and humanitarian assistance, recently launched the USD 30 million Nepal Economic, Agriculture and Trade (NEAT) project.
US Ambassador to Nepal Scott H DeLisi stated that “the project aims at improving the business environment, strengthening fiscal and trade policies, encourage competitiveness and export, enhance food security and increase access to financial services working together with the Government of Nepal” [1]. In addition to the government, the project aims to collaborate with business associations, farmer cooperatives, microfinance institutions (MFIs), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and local research institutions to achieve its goals.
By Medha Ravi, Research Associate
About United States Agency for International Development (USAID):
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a government agency that provides international economic and humanitarian assistance. It focuses on areas such as economic growth, agriculture and trade, global health, democracy, conflict prevention, and humanitarian assistance. Under the Development Credit Authority (DCA), it provides partial credit guarantees that cover up to 50 percent of defaults on loans made by private financial institutions to institutions that lend to underserved borrowers.
USAID offers a suite of resources aimed at improving the outcomes of microenterprise development research and practice at http://microlinks.kdid.org
Source and Resources:
[1] Asia News Network news article, “USAID to invest $30m in Nepal”, http://www.asianewsnet.net/home/news.php?id=18206&sec=2
MicroCapital.org story, July 12, 2010, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-Tijara Commences “Provincial Economic Growth Program,” Targeting Youth Employment in Iraq”, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-the-united-states-agency-for-international-development-usaid-tijara-commences-”provincial-economic-growth-program”-targeting-youth-employment-in-iraq/
MicroCapital.org story, March 30, 2011, “MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) Extends $5m Trade Facility to Laxmi Bank of Nepal to Support Small Businesses”, https://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-international-finance-corporation-ifc-extends-5m-trade-facility-to-laxmi-bank-of-nepal-to-support-small-businesses/
MicroCapital Universe Profile: United States Agency for International Development (USAID): https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=United+States+Agency+for+International+Development+%28USAID%29
Browse the MicroCapital Universe and add your entry to the wiki at: https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/
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