CGAP MENA Initiative Update - May - August 2007

Publication Date: Oct 2007
Published by: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
Document Type: Newsletter

A look at the activities and achievements of CGAP partners in the Middle East and North Africa

This CGAP Microfinance Initiative for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Update reports on activities of CGAP’s regional microfinance industry partners from May-August 2007.

It provides information on:

• The Syria Microfinance Conference, which will discuss new developments in microfinance and plan for scaling up microfinance in Syria;
• The International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) two day workshop for IFC’s MENA clients that aims to better leverage the IFC network and share client experiences on operational challenges.

The newsletter’s Regional CGAP Update reports on:

• The annual meeting of the Microfinance Consultative Group (MCG);
• The CGAP Pro-Poor Innovation Challenge.

The newsletter’s Partner Updates Section informs about:

• The annual conference of Sanabel, the regional microfinance institution (MFI) network;
• Sanabel’s Financing Forum;
• An E-learning program for loan officers;
• A training workshop for the SEEP FRAME Tool.

The newsletter then provides information on partner activities in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen and the West Bank and Gaza Strip. These activities include:

• Training of loan officers;
• Rating of MFIs;
• Technical training in microfinance;
• Policy diagnostic studies, market studies and sector studies;
• Pilot testing of the Progress out of Poverty Index (PPI);
• Financing;
• Pilot program for a microleasing product;
• Business process workshops;
• Awards.