The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) has signed a US$20 million term loan in favour of East African Development Bank (EADB). EADB will use the loan to support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and infrastructure projects in East Africa.
EADB is an important regional development institution for delivering key development objectives across the East Africa region. It enjoys a high level of commitment from member states Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, as well a diverse shareholder base that includes multilateral and bilateral development institutions and international financial institutions.
SMEs account for more than half of EADB’s portfolio. They play an important part in development, driving economic growth and employment opportunities in East Africa and in developing countries more generally. The bank is expanding its resource mobilization activities to meet the growing financing needs of SMEs.
“We are very pleased to support private sector development in East Africa, which goes to the core of our mandate,” said OPEC Fund Director-General Dr Abdulhamid Alkhalifa. “We have partnered with EADB since 2001 and we appreciate the opportunity to strengthen our relationship. SMEs are critical to achieving progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8 on decent work and economic growth. Efficient infrastructure, as part of SDG 9, improves access to social services, reduces business and production costs, supports trade, and will ultimately provide East Africa with a more competitive business environment.”
Vivienne Yeda, the Director-General of EADB, said: “We are pleased to receive a line of credit of US$20 million from the OPEC Fund dedicated to financing SMEs and infrastructure projects in EADB member countries. We appreciate the confidence placed in the EADB by the OPEC Fund. By financing SMEs, we expect to promote enterprises that generate employment opportunities, social-economic development and consequently promote regional integration. The SME sector is a critical pillar for sustainable economic growth as it is the backbone of the EADB member countries’ economies.”
This is the third loan the OPEC Fund has provided to EADB in support of SMEs. In 2001, the organization approved US$10 million, followed by a further US$15 million in 2013.
About EADB:
East African Development Bank (EADB) (www.EADB.org) was established in 1967 under the treaty of the then East African Cooperation between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Following the breakup of the East African Community (EAC) in 1977, the bank was re-established under its own charter in 1980. Under the new charter, the bank’s mandate and operational scope were expanded to provide a broad range of products and services that are tailored for the region’s economic development requirements. The bank supports sustainable social-economic development and regional integration through financing projects in both the public and private sector entities in the EADB member states. The shareholders of the bank include the member states of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda and other multilateral development institutions and commercial banks.
About the OPEC Fund:
The OPEC Fund (www.OPECFund.org) is the development finance institution established by the Member States of OPEC in 1976 as a channel of aid to developing countries. The OPEC Fund works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international donor community to stimulate economic growth and alleviate poverty in all disadvantaged regions of the world. It does this by providing financing to build essential infrastructure, strengthen social services and promote productivity, competitiveness and trade. The OPEC Fund’s work is people-centred, focusing on projects that meet basic needs – such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. The OPEC Fund aims to encourage self-reliance and inspire hope for t