http://www.fig-igf.orgToutes les nouvelles du FIGenFondation RAFADFri, 30 Jul 2010 06:25:36Fondation RAFAD60 http://www.fig-igf.org/img_interface/logo_fig.png http://www.fig-igf.org/ 237 53 http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews66--18-06-2010-FEBP-for-an-ethical-profit-.html Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:43:49 GMT
The Foundation for Excellence in Business Practice, whose members are entrepreneurs of various nationalities, is empowered to encourage excellence in business practice: profitability cannot be the only one objective of doing business. Business is responsible toward to the future generations and should be based on some basic ethical principles. In this aim, the foundation regularly organizes conferences and forums to promote its vision of an ethical and sustainable profit.

The international Meeting of FEBP’s members was attended by entrepreneurs, as David Mengue Ela, from Cameroun, Isaac Thompson Amos from Nigeria and Sony N’Lemvo, from DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), who all share this vision.

The conference, entitled « Partnership and quality for development of enterprises », had two related themes:
• The practice of quality in all aspects of a company’s operation
• Interaction with possible western partners.

Among FEBP key players were attending: Bernard Ivaldi, President (specialist in International and Bi-lingual education, Director General of the International School of Geneva and of the Geneva Campus of Webster University), Anthony W.Travis, senior partner (president of Swiss Africa Business Circle) and Roy G. C. Damary, Chairman (Managing Director of Technomic Consultants SA, a company dedicated to assisting international entrepreneurs).

Many contributors followed each other during the conference:
- Dominique Falque, who represented RAFAD and FIG, explained the role of guarantees in facilitating bank loans
- Oliver Lumenganeso, specialist on African investment : « Administrative barriers to foreign investment in developing countries »
- Yannick Bernard, Spinoza Asset Management SA : « An emerging market investment fund »
- James Clark, expert on quality : « A strategic opportunity »

This sharing of experience was the opportunity to reaffirm the will to set up a partnership for development of enterprises in Africa based on ethics.

Through their participation to this meeting, FIG and RAFAD renew their commitment to populations who want to create their enterprises and to contribute to economic development of their countries, by supporting micro-entrepreneurs in Southern countries, with issuing guarantees and through advice and network of expertise they bring them.



For more information www.febp.ch
]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews64--02-06-2010-Scientific-diasporas-for-development-.html Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:21:10 GMT
Over the last two decades, globalization has accelerated international migration flows, particularly of skilled labour.
Yet increasing migration by skilled workers from developing countries (“brain drain”) has raised serious concerns internationally about the adverse development impact on their countries of origin.

This book, however, highlights the positive aspects of skilled labour migration as scientific diasporas are playing a growing role in the transfer of technology, skills and knowledge (“brain gain”) to their home countries. This is a very significant development in a globalised world where science, technology and knowledge can trigger economic and social transformations.

The book presents solid empirical evidence of the contributions scientific diasporas make to their countries of origin, based on primary surveys of skilled migrants from Colombia, India and South Africa employed in Switzerland, a major destination country.

The findings lead to a better understanding of the motives for migration, the profile of the scientific diaspora communities in Switzerland, and the varied ways in which they help their home countries.

The book makes a significant contribution to the international policy debate and dialogue on migration and development. In particular, it shows how to leverage the potential of scientific diasporas as agents of home country development, by identifying good practices and offering specific recommendations for the countries of origin and of destination.

RAFAD Foundation supports OITFM initiative and is member of the World Diaspora Fund.

The book can be ordered on www.peterlang.com

AUTHORS:

GABRIELA TEJADA is responsible for on-going research into scientific diasporas at Cooperation@epfl at the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne). She has a Ph.D. in Political Sciences and has worked as a consultant for UNCTAD and UNDP. She took part in the Global Migration Perspective Series of the Global Commission on International Migration (GCIM).

JEAN-CLAUDE BOLAY is the Director of Cooperation@epfl at the EPFL and a Professor at the ENAC (Environnement Naturel Architectural et Construit) School. He has a Ph.D. in Political Sciences and is a specialist in urban issues in Latin America, Asia and West Africa. He has been a scientific advisor to the Swiss State Secretariat for Education and Research. ]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews63--06-05-2010-New-internet-platform-for-microfinance.html Thu, 06 May 2010 09:20:03 GMT
The International Guarantee Fund (FIG - IGF) is a not-for-profit organization created by the Research and Applications for Alternative Financing for Development (RAFAD), based in Geneva. It allows institutions of microfinance, agricultural cooperatives, SME groups in Africa and Latin America to receive loans that are guaranteed by the IGF from local banks.

Since its birth, the IGF has emitted more than USD 53 million of guarantees, which enabled the mobilization of USD 212 million in loans and support 260,000 micro-entrepreneurs whose activity has been created or maintained.

In order to rightfully celebrate its 25 years of existence – and to reinforce the IGF action, the RAFAD foundation is developing a brand new internet platform that will present the IGF and the organizations it supports. That platform may become a place where exchange is possible for the community of microfinance. The RAFAD foundation also wishes to provide relevant indicators of the social efficiency of the assisted organizations.

Please click here to access the questionnaire (EN)

Thank you very much for your time!]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews62--05-05-2010-The-vital-stakes-of-water.html Wed, 05 May 2010 10:01:06 GMT Although, this scandal is both a major risk to public health, a strong vehicle for environmental pollution, a break on economic development and a shame to human dignity, the efforts to solve water crisis have been largely inadequate.

The lack of toilets: a global curse

Going to toilets is an ordinary fact for most of us, but it remains a luxury for one third of humanity. Diarrhea is the second largest mortality cause of children under five years (1.8 million children under five years die each year) and 50% of cases of malnutrition are related to waterborne diseases.

An inappropriate aid

According to a study of the UNO (Global Annual Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS)), only 42% of assistance provided in terms of water and sanitation actually reaches into areas where people’s needs are the most high, that is to say in countries with lower incomes. Similarly, only 16% of this aid is allocated to "basic services” assistance for the needy, down 11% compared to figures of five years ago.
To illustrate this, over the period 2006 - 2008:
• Jordan has received an average aid of $500 per person without access to water, contrary to Chad which has only received $3.
• Georgia has received an average aid of $250 per person without access to sanitation, while Nepal has received $1.
• Financing of water and sanitation programs - that could prevent 88% of deaths due to waterborne diseases – fell because of the decline in the share devoted to water and sanitation in the global aid (that has been reduced from 6.3% to 4.7%).

The appointment of Washington: a decisive political opportunity

A meeting was held on Friday April the 23rd 2010, at Washington, bringing together leaders of developed and developing countries, to commit in favor of a financial and political action to remedy this crisis, as part of the Millennium for development objectives.
Decisions taken must help and improve the lives of millions of persons: Give girls a chance to go on their studies and to mothers the possibility to earn money, instead of having to walk during hours to look for water…

That is why RAFAD Foundation decided to launch a Local Resources Mobilization Program dedicated to Improving Water access in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Support the campaign to eradicate the shortage of drinking water on www.endwaterpoverty.org
]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews61--15-04-2010-Never-this-crisis-again--Yes-but-how-.html Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:50:34 GMT
We learnt the first lessons of the crisis. The global banking system, salvaged by Government public money, moved back into huge profits without adequately meeting the financing needs of the economy. Even more some are saying that all mechanisms are at work to provoke new bubbles and prepare a new crisis.

How could real economy overcome speculation?
The root causes of the disaster that pushed the world economy on the brink of collapse are not yet fully diagnosed. The return of confidence, the first condition, is far from certain.

The crisis was perhaps above all the product of a masterly and collective intellectual bankruptcy of the capitalist system which went out of track. The idea that markets self balance and the rational behavior of each economic agent allow the entire to work, is it still relevant? Would our democracies manage to survive a second crisis of this magnitude?

Beyond regulation and supervision of markets, can we believe in a convergence of democratic values which will prevent deviant behaviors again? Did the politics hold a responsible debate, faced with the crisis?

The ambition of the "Responsible Growth Foundation," a place for open, collective and nonpartisan debate, hosted by the Institute of France which was set up in Paris in March 2010, bringing together business leaders and representatives of civil society, is to provide keys and a fresh look to those issues, to encourage dialogue, to identify challenges and to respond to them.

More info on http://croissance-responsable.fr/
]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews60--04-03-2010-Microfinance-sustainability-by-FNDIAYE.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:47:54 GMT Called “Microfinance in West Africa, what viability?” the title sets clearly the stake of this thought down: How to make microfinance accessible to everyone?

For the author, the analysis of the viability of microfinance must be improved to make it more accessible, and the aim of this book is to contribute to this through the detailed study of two Microfinance Institutions in West African Monetary Union, ACEP (Alliance pour l’Epargne et le Crédit) in Senegal, and PADME (Association pour la Promotion et l’Appui au Développement de Micro-Entreprises), in Benin.

He presents the major concepts of microfinance, inclusive finance and sustainability
and their links with economic theory.

He broadens the concept of financial services accessible to everyone - Indeed poor people need credit, but they also need savings and insurance!

This thought is based on data collected over a ten year field survey. The text is well-documented, with maps, definitions and tables of indicators in appendix, this makes of this recent book an essential reading to get a good understanding on the situation of MFI and microfinance in Africa.

It is useful to anyone aiming at better understanding issues of sustainability of inclusive financial sectors.

Fode Ndiaye, PhD, agronomist, graduate of Harvard Kennedy School (USA), has gained a great experience in the field of the financing of the development, particularly in microfinance.

He is the regional manager for Western and Central Africa of the Equipment Fund of United Nations - Inclusive Finance. He is a member of RAFAD Foundation.

The book can be ordered on the web site of the publishing L’Harmattan (EAN 9782296099623) :
www.editions-harmattan.fr - Microfinance in West Africa, what viability?
- Book Preview on google books]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews59--16-02-2010-Mohammad-YUNUS-meets-3000-young-people.html Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:43:55 GMT
The inventor of microcredit is working on promoting solidarity, on reconciling business and social, through the microcredit. The current crisis (food, social, climatic, financial…) is symptomatic of the economic system failure, a system which is obsessed by profit and based on selfishness. The whole system needs to be reconsidered.

Human and social dimension have to be integrated in economy to build a system based on altruism.

This fundamental change can’t come from politics; their speech for a moral capitalism is often « vain wishes ». The injection of enormous sum of money can’t resolve problems. Only citizens can initiate the change and impose it.

The aim is to help the poorest by opening access to financial services, to business and ultimately create sustainable jobs. Social and business are reconcilable. Governments must invest in social business and renounce social aid as the only mean of action, because it creates dependence and prevents real change.

« They must be given a chance to change their lives, to forge ahead. Enterprises must be created to change their lives. » Microcredit is not the perfect solution to come out of poverty, interest rates are sometimes excessive, but it offers a possibility to take a « better way ». « Microcredit is here to help people to come out of poverty, not to permit rich people to make money at the expense of the poor ».

The success of microcredit, born in Southern countries, is extending to the whole world, as in the USA where a program has been started in New York, in France, in Germany, in Bahrain…The majority of the loan beneficiaries are women and their activities are diverse.

« It is part of the responsibility of a society to give everyone access to financial services. Politics must encourage this and society must drive politics this way ».

The Nobel Prize of peace 2006 ends his pleading in favor of the microcredit with an appeal to the youth in order to build a world where responsibility and solidarity go hand in hand.

Currently, microcredit accounts for 12 billion USD worldwide. The Grameen Bank was founded by Mohammad Yunus in 1976 in Bangladesh: 1, 5 billion USD loan portfolio, 30,000 employees and volunteers and 2,600 branches.

FIG contributes to developing microcredit in rural areas of the poorest countries, mobilizing local resources through bank guarantee.
-
[French] Télécharger l'article du journal Libération du Jeudi 4 février 2010 ( ~3.31 meg )]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews56--05-11-2009-FIG-organizes-a-workshop-in-Chile.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:06:44 GMT
It consists in a series of training workshops for managers of small and micro-businesses and cooperatives, with the following objectives:

• Enhance skills of the managers of small and micro-businesses and cooperatives in financial management and negotiation with banks
• Develop skills to manage a mutual guarantee fund

The ultimate goal is to create 3 sectorial funds

A seminar was organized together with the ministry of Economy of Chile, the Regional Office of Magellan and the University in Punta Arenas.

The following Magellan associations took part :

• Truckers Association
• Artisanal and Industrial Association
• Retailers Association
• Taxi Owners Cooperative
• Fishermen Cooperative

A total of 44 professionals in business and cooperatives and 20 students from University of Magellan attended the seminar.

Given this success, Jessica Pinilla, FIG’s representative in Chile is now planning a second workshop with Public Transportation organizations in the north of Chile. ]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews55--29-10-2009-FIG-attends-Global-Ethics-Forum-.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:44:19 GMT
Here after a few thinking picked from speakers:

About the crisis
• Divorcing economics from the moral and spiritual dimensions of life contributed to financial crisis
• Marketing should not aim at creating false demand
• Let’s be careful with the external image and let’s check the substance first: Enron, Parmalat were regarded as top corporate Citizens in their city.
• What matters is to organize a Profitable Partnership, working With People, medium and long term.
• The firm is no longer the centre but acts besides and as one of many stakeholders in the global world. Behavior needs to move from Transactional to Relational and erases too much “financiarization” which developed in the last two decades.

About Social responsibility
• We are the “friends of the Earth” when we:
• Promote social wellbeing, protect environment and create economic return thru innovative solutions, with fully priced risks and capital.
• Are authentic, honest, trustworthy, look after employees, get involved in local communities, contribute to society, accept responsibility, do not exploit vulnerable employees
• Are ecology oriented, environment responsible, care about consumers and offer worthwhile products and services

About solutions
• Fair trade and Partnership on a decentralized model
• Internet and cell phone innovations
• Donors visiting projects and providing information and ideas
• China is changing and might lead the change : From Corruption and Pollution to Harmony

How can we contribute at RAFAD and FIG, in Geneva, in our regional offices and with our local consultants?
• By creating and monitoring Regional Guarantee Funds
• By assessing financial institutions and cooperatives’ management organization and social and financial performance
• By training and supporting those institutions and cooperatives through our local consultants’ network

Next Global Ethics Forum is scheduled for July 1 & 2, 2010 in Geneva.
Let’s see then what we have accomplished! More info at www.globalethicsforum.org.]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews52--16-06-2009-FIG-meets-KMusyoka-Kenya-VicePresident.html Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:58:05 GMT
VP Minister presented last situation in Kenya, handed over his white book KENYA VISION 2030 and highlighted the importance of peace, security and employment for the development of his country.

As a result of the world financial crisis and the drop in tourism, in spite of its many assets, the country suffers job losses and poverty levels are up.
To help and recover, the Government has put in place a stimulus package for the local economy and a ten year tax heaven and free zone program to attract foreign investors.

VP Minister said that he was willing to develop relations with Switzerland, for the great stability of the country and the high reliability of its products and services.

The Swiss entrepreneurs had the opportunity to present their products and services in front of a dozen of high Kenyan dignitaries.

The FIG explained how we can help and stimulate small businesses and cooperatives in Kenya by being able to generate local funding- otherwise not available – to micro-entrepreneurs and SACCOs.
FIG has developed through bank guarantee, a proven effective leverage tool to create long term employment, source of stability and peace, within small communities and cooperatives.

Mr. Ben. R.N. Mbai, our FIG representative in Nairobi and for Eastern Africa, will pursue ongoing contacts initiated in Geneva.
]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews46--05-03-2008-FIG-RAFAD-Workshop-in-Nicaragua.html Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:35:02 GMT
* What is the social impact of microfinance ?
* What is the role for FIG guarantees?

For more information, according to your location, interested organizations can contact, preferably before March 10:
America : jennyreyes[at]fig-igf.org
Africa and Europe : a.vergeylen[at]fig-igf.org]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews38--19-02-2007-Trainingprogram-FGC--GFCD-.html Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:15:40 GMT
The program promotes durable and trust-based relationships between MFI's and banks through the instruction of succesful negotiation skills and other strategies. The first workshop lead by FIG's consultant is scheduled to be held in Cotonou (Benin), the 16 to 18 of April 2007. Please contact us for more information. ]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews36--20-11-2006-FIG-praised-in-microfinance-book.html Mon, 20 Nov 2006 16:12:06 GMT ]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews34--14-11-2006-INAFI-India-s-Chief-Executive-visits-FIG.html Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:55:38 GMT
]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews32--14-11-2006-FIG-Associate-becomes-Labour-Minister.html Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:55:37 GMT




]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews33--14-11-2006-More-IAF-support-for-FIGAL.html Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:55:37 GMT www.iaf.gov.

]]> http://www.fig-igf.org/en-rnews31--14-11-2006-RAFAD-FIG-Director-at-Microcredit-Summit.html Tue, 14 Nov 2006 16:55:36 GMT
]]>