With better access to long-term credit, small-scale farmers, manufacturers and owners of retail businesses will be able to grow faster and in turn support their local economies.

OPIC resources will strengthen the capital base of Lafise Panama Group, Inc. (Lafise) and its subsidiaries in Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama, and support the expanding portfolio of SME loans handled by subsidiaries in Honduras and Costa Rica.

More on this topic

$70 million to Honduras’ Ficohsa Bank

October 2011

The IFC ratified agreements to support the expansion and capitalization of Ficohsa Bank.

A press release from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) reads:

The IFC Capitalization Fund has signed agreements that will support expansion plans and the capitalization of Banco Financiera Comercial Honduras, SA, investing $70 million in capital resources.

Multibank Gets $ 6 million Loan

November 2010

The IIC financing will create effective mechanisms to channel credits to SMEs in Panama.

The Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) approved a loan of up to $ 6 million to Multibank, Inc. for the financing of SMEs in Panama by leasing and factoring, working capital and housing for Panamanian citizens.

IIC Lends $20 Million to BAC El Salvador

July 2010

It is estimated that approximately 300 SMEs will benefit from this operation.

On July 20, 2010, the Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) approved a loan of up to US$20 million to El Salvador’s Banco de América Central S.A.

With this project, the IIC aims to provide BAC ES with medium-term funding on appropriate terms for channeling funds to eligible projects in El Salvador.

IDB loan to help BBVA Panama boost lending for small businesses

November 2009

The Inter-American Development Bank approved a $15 million loan to provide Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (Panama), S.A. (BBVAP) with long-term funding to support its lending to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Additionally, the IDB helped catalyze a parallel US$25 million loan from the German development lender Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (DEG) to BBVAP, a unit of the Spanish Grupo BBVA.