IFC and CRDB Bank sign landmark $75 million loan agreement, commit to support SME and agribusiness sectors in Tanzania

 Mr Sunday Shomari of VOA's Swahili Service (left) chats with senior officials from the Treasury before the signing ceremony of  a landmark $75 million loan agreement signing ceremony with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) aimed at providing support to small businesses, particularly those owned by women, as well as to farmers and agribusiness in Tanzania held at the IFC headquarters in Washington DC on Friday April 11, 2014 in the sidelines of  the World Bank-IMF Spring Meeting.

 Dr. Charles Stephen Kimei, Managing Director of CRDB Bank Group speaks during the ceremony 

 A section of invited guests including the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Tanzania Ms Natu el-Maamry Mwamba (second right)

  Dr. Charles Stephen Kimei, Managing Director of CRDB Bank Group speaks during the ceremony  

  the Chairman of the board of Directors Mr Martin  J. Mmari thank the IFC for the loan agreement

  Finance Minister Hon. Saada Mkuya Salum, speaks during  the signing ceremony

 Mr. Jean Philippe Prosper, IFC Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, speaks

 Dr. Charles Stephen Kimei, Managing Director of CRDB Bank Group (second left), and Mr. Jean Philippe Prosper, IFC Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, signing the landmark $75 million loan agreement at the IFC headquarters in Washington DC on Friday April 11, 2014 witnessed by the Chairman of the board of Directors Mr Martin  J. Mmari (left) and IFC's  Principal Operations Officer, Ms. Wendy Teleki (second right), and the Head of Blended Finance Ms. Kruskaia Sierra Escalante.

 Dr. Charles Stephen Kimei, Managing Director of CRDB Bank Group (second left), and Mr. Jean Philippe Prosper, IFC Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, shake hands after signing the landmark $75 million loan agreement at the IFC headquarters in Washington DC on Friday April 11, 2014

 Group photo after the signing ceremony

 Finance Minister Hon. Saada Mkuya Salum, speaks after the signing ceremony, flanked by  the Chairman of the board of Directors Mr Martin  J. Mmari (third left),  Dr. Charles Stephen Kimei, Managing Director of CRDB Bank Group (second right), IFC's Senior Investment Officer - Financial Markets, Mr Kariuki Thande (right) and CRDB's Deputy Managing Director  Mr. Saugata Bandyopadhyay (left)

 Dr. Charles Stephen Kimei, Managing Director of CRDB Bank Group fields questions from journalists after the event

NA ANKAL MICHUZI