Côte D'Ivoire - Bridge Bank - Financing and Guarantee Facility for SMEs and International Trade Activities – Project Summary Note

This project is a financing facility totalling EUR 30 million to support Bridge Bank Côte d'Ivoire ("Bridge Bank" or "BBGCI") in implementing its strategy to expand its SME portfolio and international trade finance activities in Côte d'Ivoire. The partnership will comprise three components, namely: (i) a EUR 10 million subordinated loan to increase BBGCI's tier 2 capital; (ii) a EUR 10 million trade finance transaction guarantee (TFTG) to meet the import and export needs of Ivorian SMEs and businesses and (iii) a EUR 10 million portfolio guarantee to women-owned enterprises (based on We-fi criteria). The portfolio guarantee will help to cover up to 50% of losses on the portfolio of loans granted to women-owned or women-led SMEs.To further strengthen the capacity of portfolio SMEs, BBGCI will also receive technical assistance worth EUR 0.3 million from the AFAWA's Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi)programme. This technical assistance package will enable BBGCI to: (i)manage reports on development resultsand(ii) strengthen the capacities of its female clientele as well as the capacities of BBG CI's investment teams in financing women-owned SMEs. The financing facility will target SMEs operating in priority sectors of the Ivorian economy, especially social service (education, health, transport, communications and real estate) and local industrial processing sectors. Specifically, 50% of the financing will be earmarked for women-owned VSEs and SMEs.