The EIB has the pleasure to invite civil society organisations to a panel discussion on ‘Supporting SMEs in developing countries’ taking place at the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) London Member Meeting from 15.30 – 17.00 on 27 March 2012.

SMEs are a fundamental part of the economic fabric in developing countries, and they play a crucial role in furthering growth, innovation and prosperity. However, they are strongly restricted in accessing the capital that they require to grow and expand, with nearly half of SMEs in developing countries rating access to finance as a major constraint.

With targeted interventions, development actors such as ANDE as well as International Financial Institutions can play an important role in closing this gap. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has commissioned a report on this subject, by Dalberg Global Development Advisors http://www.eib.org/attachments/dalberg_sme-briefing-paper.pdf

Registration is now closed.

For security reasons you will need to bring photographic ID to gain entrance to the venue.

Please note that the EIB cannot reimburse travel or accommodation expenses for participants.

For any further questions, please contact Oliver Cusworth.

The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets. The network's members provide critical financing and business support services to small and growing businesses that create significant economic, environmental and social impacts in developing countries.