CGAP MENA Initiative Update - September- December 2007

Publication Date: Feb 2008
Published by: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
Document Type: Newsletter (PDF)

View this Document (4384 KB)   Email this Document

This paper describes 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 the activities of CGAP’s regional microfinance industry partners for September-December 2007.

The update presents information on:

• The upcoming annual conference of Sanabel, the regional MFI network - that will discuss the challenges and opportunities that Arab MFIs face as they mature institutionally, diversify products, access new markets and contemplate transformation;
• The Syria Microfinance Conference - that discussed new developments in the sector and the scaling-up of microfinance in Syria;
• The International Finance Corporation (IFC) workshop in Dubai, UAE - that shared client experiences on operational challenges;
• The regional donor mapping survey - that captured details of funder’s programs and helped identify gaps to facilitate improved donor coordination;
• The national microfinance strategies roundtable - that facilitated exchange of information about the role of government and national microfinance strategies.

The update also presents information about the ratings given to MENA partners by various rating agencies such as Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX) and PlaNet Rating, as well as by the Forbes Magazine. Further, the update presents detailed information about the activities of CGAP country partners in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, the West Bank and Gaza and Yemen.