Wednesday, July 16 2014 19:41
ARARATBANK attracts $10 million from OFID for SME crediting
Arminfo. ARARATBANK and The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) have signed a credit agreement at $10 million, press-service of the bank reported. The agreement was signed by OFID Director General Suleiman Jazir Al-Herbish and chairman of the ARARATBANK board, Ashot Osipyan.
The bank will direct the given funds at SME financing in the sphere of industry, trade, services and agriculture. The maximal size of credit will amount to $500 thsd. Credits will be delivered for 4 years and 10-11% of interest rate.
Signing of the agreement in fact means the first cooperation programme of ARARATBANK with OFID. Director General of OFID said that ARARATBANK is a big player at the Armenian SME crediting market. Thanks to availability of a wide net of offices, the bank will provide availability of credit resources for the regional SME.
For his part, Osipyan highly appreciated assistance for the SME development in Armenia, and assured that the cooperation of the parties will be not only fruitful but also long-lasting.
Within the frames of the programmes in crediting private sector and trade financing, OFID gave $42 million to 4 Armenian banks and 4 social programmes targeted at SME crediting.
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) is a multilateral development finance institution established in 1976 by the Member States of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OFID was conceived at the Conference of the Sovereigns and Heads of State of OPEC Member Countries, which was held in Algiers, Algeria, in March 1975. A Solemn Declaration of the Conference "reaffirmed the natural solidarity which unites OPEC countries with other developing countries in their struggle to overcome underdevelopment," and called for measures to strengthen cooperation between these countries.
OFID's objective is to reinforce financial cooperation between OPEC Member Countries and other developing countries, by providing financial support to the latter for their socioeconomic development. The institution's central mission is to foster South-South Partnership with fellow developing countries worldwide with the aim of eradicating poverty.
According to the data of Financial Rating of Armenian Banks prepared by Arminfo, by the crediting volume ARARATBANK is in the leading ten. As of 1 April 2014, credit portfolio of the bank amounted to $157.5 million, the SME crediting share - 47%. The assets of the bank amounted to $318.9 million - by 14,1% more versus 1 April 2013. The total capital of ARARATBANK at the end of March amounted to $49.8 million (growth by 18,1%). According to the results of the 1Q 2014, net profit of the bank amounted to $2.7 million.
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