This Progress Report reflects the progress on the activities of the ICR Facility achieved until August 2022, with a particular focus on the period 1 September 2021–31 August 2022. The ICR Facility is implemented through three Output Areas. In Output Area 1 Implementation of demand-based interventions was in full swing throughout the year. High numbers of […]
The honour loans mechanism is a multidimensional one combining financing free of interest or requirement for securities or guarantees, with support to entrepreneurs. It has several benefits for entrepreneurs: Firstly, it finances their development, serving as seed funds and strengthening their project’s equity. It can therefore create financial leverage with microcredit or banking loans. Secondly, it can help […]
Executive Summary Access to finance is amongst the main challenges faced by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in creating and growing their business in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Meanwhile, crowdfunding is disrupting the financial services industry by democratising access to capital for individuals and businesses and revolutionising the way they interact with […]
Read about our activities from September 2020 to August 2021
Executive Summary: Startup Acts are emerging and comprehensive legal instruments aimed at fostering the creation and development of startups, taking into account their particular needs. They are often designed through a participatory process involving the collaboration of different stakeholders in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Although Startup Acts are still relatively new, if well designed, they […]
The countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) have identified adaptation actions to be a priority in water and wastewater management, agriculture, forestry and land use, disaster risk management and coastal protection. The investment costs of adaptation are high, however. The commitment from developed countries to provide climate finance in ACP countries remains […]
Côte d’Ivoire has been an African success story for much of the last decade. The World Bank estimates that its GDP growth rate was on average 8.2% in the seven years between 2012 and 2019, one of the most dynamic in the world. Much of its growth comes from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for […]
Many DFIs in the Pacific and the Caribbean strategically support local businesses in their launch, develop and growth phases, both with financial and non-financial means, but maintaining a balance between financial sustainability and achieving goals is not always easy. Empowering people to engage and raise their voice is the first step to change.
Crowdfunding is an online, collective and community-based fundraising system. It enables entrepreneurs to raise funds from personal and professional networks, as well as geographical and affinity groups, based on the power of the internet and social media. It is a strategic investment vehicle complementary to existing tools, especially for companies which lack credibility with traditional […]
Together with the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new perception of the role of private sector in the economic and social development process arise, with a special focus on their contribution to job creation. However, even if the international community and the partner countries of African, Caribbean and the Pacific have […]
How can Employer Business Membership Organizations (EBMOs) in ACP countries adjust their service offer in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic? The online live event assesses how Business Continuity Training can help SMEs preparing for and recovering from crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes activities for preserving the business operations but at […]
The growth of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector is one of the priority issues for economic development in ACP countries. SMEs are among the motors of job creation and GDP growth. They make an important contribution to economic diversification, social stability, and territorial prosperity. However, SMEs are still struggling with the problem of […]
