NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

IFC Supports Madagascar?s SME Sector with First-of-Its-Kind Investment

Antananarivo, Madagascar / Washington, D.C., June 13, 2006?The International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, will provide joint risk-sharing with the Republic of Madagascar and two local banks to make loans available to owners of small and medium enterprises. This is the first joint investment under the International Development Association/IFC Pilot Program for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa. Henri Rabarijohn, IFC?s Country...

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

Immigrants from India spread business success to homeland

Excerpt: Bhatia and many thousands of Indian immigrants with strong ties to the USA and India are storming back to their ancestral homeland to cultivate business and cut deals. With 1 billion people, a rising wave of consumers and annual economic growth of 8% since 2004, India is the world’s most promising economy after China....

Source

USA Today (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Exposing the myth of Third World aid

Abstract: In a review of William Easterly’s new book, White Man’s Burden, Michael Duffy explores the problems of aid to the developing world and asks what can be done about them....

Source

The Sydney Morning Herald (link opens in a new window)

Indian medical care goes global

Excerpt: With hospitals in India’s cities boasting first world medical care at third world prices, the country is poised for a major share in the multibillion dollar global healthcare market....

Source

Aljazeera.net (link opens in a new window)

Region

South Asia

Mobile phones bridging rich-poor divide

Abstract: Even in some of the world’s remotest locations, cell phones, which were once unheard of, have become an integral part of everyday life....

Source

World Peace Herald (link opens in a new window)

Nigeria: Small Businesses and Economic Growth

Abstract: Anas A. Galadima explores the challenge of small business devevlopment in Nigeria....

Source

AllAfrica.com (link opens in a new window)

Region

Sub-Saharan Africa

PCs for Third World, by design

Abstract: Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) are taking their fierce rivalry to the Third World. At stake is an untapped emerging market of 3.8 billion people, whose purchasing power, according to World Bank figures, is less than $4,000 per household....

Source

Electronic Engineering Times Asia (link opens in a new window)

Banking on Sustainability

Abstract: On Monday, The Financial Times, in association with the International Finance Corporation (the private-sector arm of the World Bank), announced its 2006 Sustainable Banking Awards. Sustainable banking incorporates social, environmental, and corporate-governance objectives into a bank’s operations, all based off the concept of sustainable development....

Source

The Motley Fool via Yahoo (link opens in a new window)