IFC PEP-MENA’s Financial Markets initiative seeks to assist private companies in the region to improve their access to finance by supporting the development of sustainable financial institutions, promoting the formation of robust capital markets, and helping create a sound legal and informational architecture. In the Middle East and North Africa region, access to finance for private companies, in particular micro, small and medium enterprises, tends to be limited due to inadequate credit information services, limited long-term capital sources, and still evolving corporate governance and transparency standards.
To address these constraints, IFC PEP-MENA’s Financial Markets initiative focuses on the following programs:
Corporate Governance |  | Bank Advisory Services |
We promote corporate governance in the region by improving banks and corporations’ practices.
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We advise banks on targeting individual consumers and micro, small, and medium enterprises.
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Housing Finance | | Leasing |
We help develop strong residential mortgage markets.
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We help strengthen the capacity of the financial sector by facilitating leasing services.
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Microfinance | | Credit Information Services |
We support the growth and development of a sound microfinance industry.
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We support the creation and the effective use of credit information and reporting services.
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About 37 percent of Financial Markets' projects are in frontier markets - Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, West Bank and Gaza and Yemen - while 23 percent are in collaboration with the World Bank.
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Eligible Partners & Clients |
The main eligible clients are local and international commercial banks, nonbank financial institutions, companies, investors, credit bureaus, and microfinance institutions. IFC PEP-MENA also aims at collaborating with other donors to maximize the availability of resources and the coordination efforts.
Women’s Access to Finance
Women’s Access to Finance is expected to be an important mainstream activity, which is being carried out under IFC PEP-MENA's Financial Markets initiative. It includes advisory work with the Commercial International Bank in Egypt and the Microfund for Women in Jordan, as well as activities with the First Women’s Bank in Pakistan. By assisting financial institutions to tap into potentially lucrative women’s market segments, women entrepreneurs will have a greater supply of financial products and services that meet their needs. Lessons learned during these initial engagements will help IFC PEP-MENA further strengthen IFC's ability to increase access to finance for women-owned businesses, which is important for creating greater economic opportunity in the Middle East and North Africa region.
For additional information, please contact:
Michael Higgins
Senior Operations Manager
E-mail:
mhiggins@ifc.org 
