In an increasingly congested market for financial institutions in the major cities of Bangladesh, United Leasing Company (ULC), an International Finance Corporation (IFC) partner financial institution, decided to go where other such institutions were not yet focusing, rural Bangladesh. The smart...

The re-rolling mill (RRM) industry, which turns scrap material into finished steel, is one of the most important suppliers to the construction industry in Bangladesh. Yet local RRM owners are unaware of, and left unaccountable for, their industry's adverse effects on the environment. This smart...

In 2000, the level of nonperforming loans in Kenya topped Kshs 112 billion (US$1.4 billion). This posed a threat to the stability of the financial sector, and there was a consensus that a credit information sharing mechanism would help resolve the tendency of some debtors to take advantage of...

The Russian Far East faces severe development challenges. Its remoteness and harsh winter conditions, particularly in the case of Magadan Oblast, limit economic development opportunities to mining and fishing. The weak investment climate, combined with geographic isolation, contribute to a poor...

Economies dependent on resource extraction are particularly susceptible to sudden swings in commodity prices. International Finance Corporation (IFC) linkages projects should take this into account by helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) prepare for the 'hard times,' such as the current...

Energy from the sun is abundant and free. Solar energy is in essence electromagnetic radiation emitted from the sun. Earth's climate, hydrologic systems, and ecosystems all derive from the sun. Other forms of renewable power such as wind, wave, biomass, and hydro are an indirect function of...

International Finance Corporation (IFC) makes selective investments in small businesses that are in frontier countries and have a strong developmental role. Since 2002, the corporation has made 25 or so small direct investments (SDI), most of which turned out to be success stories. Over the...

The main goal of International Finance Corporation's (IFC's) Corporate Governance Project in Pakistan is to establish sustainable capacity in the country so that, once the project is over, institutions will be able to improve their corporate governance practices to international standards using...

International Financial Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank have in recent years promoted the implementation of credit bureaus as a way of improving access to finance for both individuals and businesses. In 2003, no such structure existed for consumer credit information in China. Not only was...

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) hold great promise for improving public services for the poor in emerging markets. But charting the political waters, balancing the needs of governments, consumers, investors, and lenders, and making the transaction transparent and sustainable are challenging...