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OPIC, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, IFC Sign Commitment with ACLEDA Bank Plc. to Support Women-owned SMEs in Cambodia

November 1, 2016

Access to Finance is a Challenge for Many Women in Developing Countries – In Cambodia, while 41 Percent of SMEs are Owned by Women, the majority are underserved by financial institutions

Unmet Demand for Financing is Estimated at $67 Billion Per Year for Women-Owned SMEs in East Asia

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government's development finance institution, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, and IFC's (International Finance Corporation) Banking on Women program have signed a commitment with ACLEDA Bank Plc., a leading commercial bank in Cambodia, to support women-owned small and medium sized (SMEs) businesses in Cambodia.

OPIC will provide a $30 million loan to ACLEDA Bank Plc. as part of the Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility, a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women and IFC partnership to increase access to capital for up to 100,000 women entrepreneurs. To date, this first of its kind facility has made approximately $600 million in commitments to financial institutions in 17 countries around the world through partnerships with multiple institutions.

In Cambodia, while 41 percent of SMEs are owned by women, the majority are underserved or unserved by financial institutions. Economic research demonstrates that investing in women owned businesses, and increasing female participation in the labor force, can create large financial returns. However, limited access to finance remains a challenge for many women in developing countries. In East Asia and the Pacific specifically, unmet demand for financing is estimated at $67 billion per year for women owned small and medium businesses.

"The number one barrier to women entrepreneurs and small businesses is lack of access to capital," said Elizabeth L. Littlefield, OPIC President and Chief Executive Officer. "When it comes to starting a business, keeping a business running, or growing a business, women are forced to do more with less. Or they decide not to start their business at all. I'm proud to join Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, IFC and ACLEDA Bank Plc. to provide capital, support, and resources for women-owned businesses in Cambodia. Together, this facility will help bring women into the market and grow their ideas into businesses."

"Goldman Sachs research shows that closing the credit gap for women-owned SMEs in emerging markets could push income per capita an average of 12% higher by 2030; women entrepreneurs have real potential to impact Cambodia's future growth as a result of this commitment," said Dina Habib Powell, Head of Goldman Sachs' Impacting Investing Business and President of the Goldman Sachs Foundation, who oversees the 10,000 Women initiative. "We have seen this impact in many countries around the world over the past several years through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative and our partnership with IFC."

IFC Global Director, Financial Institutions Group, Marcos Brujis said "IFC welcomes these new commitments, which will help to close the financing gap for women in Cambodia. Working together in these focused partnerships, as key players in the finance industry, we can make a tremendous difference. Financial inclusion for women is critical to economic prosperity and IFC's Banking on Women program is committed to achieving this in a profitable and sustainable manner."

"ACLEDA Bank Plc. has worked with 439,544 active borrowing customers of which 50.28% of them were women as of September 2016. The best thing about women, they have been very associated with business expertise and financial management talents from households to businesses. These will help them manage their enterprises effectively and efficiently, like other entrepreneurs. They have faced common barriers of limited access to finance, but culturally barriers might establish additional hinder for women entrepreneurs than their peers of entrepreneurs. OPIC, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women, and IFC syndicated finance joining forces with ACLEDA Bank Plc., the Bank You Can Trust the Bank for the People and its rich branches and offices network will significantly broaden financial resources and access for those keen women entrepreneurs in Cambodia," said Dr. In Channy, President and Group Managing Director of ACLEDA Bank Plc.

This loan will be used to provide women-owned start-ups with loans for working capital, expansion capital, and equipment. The project will leverage Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women and IFC’s joint Women Entrepreneurs Opportunity Facility (WEOF) to incentivize ACLEDA to finance underserved women-owned enterprises.

About OPIC

OPIC is the U.S. Government's development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help address critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds, when commercial funding cannot be obtained elsewhere. Established as an agency of the U.S. Government in 1971, OPIC operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to American taxpayers. All OPIC projects adhere to high environmental and social standards and respect human rights, including worker's rights. By mandating high standards, OPIC aims to raise the industry and regional standards of the countries where it funds projects. OPIC services are available for new and expanding business enterprises in more than 160 countries worldwide. For more information, visit website: www.opic.gov.

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our six decades of experience to create opportunity where it's needed most. In FY16, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $19 billion, leveraging our capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit website: www.ifc.org.

About Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative is an effort to foster economic growth by providing women entrepreneurs around the world with business education and access to capital. The initiative has reached women from across 56 countries through a network of 100 academic, non-profit, and bank partners. In partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women launched the first-ever global finance facility in 2014 to enable up to 100,000 women entrepreneurs to access capital.

About ACLEDA Bank Plc.

ACLEDA Bank Plc. has sustainably provided financial products and services for more than 24 years for all segment of the community – both private and public sectors in 258 branches throughout Cambodia, 41 branches and offices in Laos, and 6 branches and offices in Myanmar with the total assets over US$4.48 billion, loans outstanding of US$2,770 million, and savings & deposits of US$3,070 million by end of September 2016.

Currently, ACLEDA Bank Plc. has five subsidiaries which are ACLEDA Bank Lao Ltd., ACLEDA Securities Plc., ACLEDA Institute of Business, ACLEDA MFI Myanmar Co., Ltd., and ACLEDA Properties Ltd.; and one ACLEDA Bank Plc.'s representative office in Myanmar.