Southern Africa—Making Commodity and Service Markets Work for the Poor (ComMark)

Client: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, ComMark Trust

Duration: 2003-2007

Country: Regional

ComMark was designed specifically to facilitate the development and improved operation of commodity and service markets for the benefit of poor people in Southern Africa. This project focused on growing sub-sectors within and across countries with high growth potential, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland, as well as fostering broader regional linkages.

Sample Activities

Facilitate and incentivize the efficient operation of institutions, processes and practice which have a direct bearing on pro-poor market growth.

Select Results

Improved legal and regulatory frameworks in specific commodity and service sectors.
Investigated and overcame barriers to entry for merging farmers and small businesses.
Facilitated business linkages between large and small enterprises, many of the latter being from previously disadvantaged communities.
Enabled the establishment of commercial public-private partnerships.

Egypt—National Bank of Egypt: MSME Lending Capacity Building

Loans to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) account for only 6 percent of the total loan portfolio of Egyptian banks, well below the 10 to 30 percent documented in the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Government of Egypt and Central Bank of Egypt have made access to finance for MSMEs a top priority and key area for banking sector reform.