MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank ARISE Program Includes $230m Loan for Farmers in Ukraine

The Ukraine Agriculture Recovery Inclusive Support Emergency (ARISE) Project – to be implemented by Ukrainian government’s Business Development Fund and Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food – is intended to provide loans and grants to 90,000 farmers to increase production levels during 2023 and 2024. The project includes a loan of USD 230 million from the World Bank, supported by the

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD Offering AgriAcademy Graduate-level Education Courses in Ukraine to Boost Agriculture Sector

The multilateral European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is rolling out a remote, free-of-charge learning platform called AgriAcademy with a target of educating 10,000 agri-food workers in Ukraine. The goal is

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD Loans Banca Transilvania $25m to Support Businesses in Romania Adjusting to War in Ukraine

The multilateral European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently lent EUR 25 million (USD 25 million) to Banca Transilvania (BT), a Romania-based bank, to on-lend to enterprises affected by the war in Ukraine. The loan is a part of

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Agri-SME Finance: Navigating Volatility in the Wake of the War in Ukraine;” Published by IFAD, IFC, SAFIN

The authors describe the recent turmoil in global food markets and the resulting “worst food crisis in generations.” The war in Ukraine has had a major impact on markets in Russia and Ukraine, which together previously produced a quarter of the wheat and most of the sunflower oil sold worldwide. Meanwhile, increases in

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD, EFSE, GGF Lending $9m to Bank Lviv to Support SMEs in Ukraine in Adjusting to War

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a multilateral institution, is arranging a loan package of up to EUR 10 million (USD 10 million) for Ukraine’s Bank Lviv to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The loan fulfills part of a pledge by EBRD to invest EUR 1 billion (USD 1 billion) this year into the Ukrainian economy to

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: DFC, Gazelle Finance Announce Technical Assistance Funding for SMEs Displaced from Ukraine to Georgia by War

The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Georgia-based Gazelle Finance recently launched a facility to assist Ukrainian enterprises that have been displaced to Georgia as a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine. In particular, the funding is for technical assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). DFC CEO Scott Nathan noted the intent of the facility to

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD Moves to Block Russia, Belarus from Funding, Technical Assistance; Boost Financing in Ukraine

In response to hostilities in Ukraine, the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a UK-based multilateral development finance institution, recently proposed to the institution’s Board of Governors that it cut off assistance to Russia and Belarus, both of which are EBRD members. EBRD has outstanding investments of about EUR 900 million (USD 980 million) in each country as of January 2022. EBRD also is considering participating in

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD, EU Lending $30m for MSMEs via ProCredit Bank Ukraine, Primarily for Green Technology

ProCredit Bank Ukraine recently agreed to borrow the approximate equivalent of USD 30 million from the UK-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the EU. The funds, which are denominated in a mix of euros and Ukrainian hryvnia, are to be used for on-lending to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The wholesale loan is part of the EU4Business-EBRD Credit Line,

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EFSE Loans $6m to Agroprosperis Bank to Support Farmers in Ukraine

The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a microfinance investment vehicle domiciled in Luxembourg, recently loaned EUR 5 million (USD 6.1 million) to Agroprosperis Bank to support agricultural micro- and small enterprises (MSEs) in Ukraine. In particular,

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Sustainable Finance Forum: Eastern Europe, Caucasus & Central Asia; March 11-12, 2020; Kyiv, Ukraine

The goal of the Sustainable Finance Forum is to catalyze investments for “sustainable” development in the region by bringing together banks, microfinance institutions, project sponsors and investors that are committed to creating a