Section 1. General. The Fund has a distinct role within its association with the Bank and the IIC and may complement or support their activities as directed by the Donors Committee. To carry out its purpose of supporting economic growth and poverty reduction by encouraging increased private investment and advancing private sector development, the Fund shall, where appropriate, draw on the private sector strategies and policies of the Bank and its programs for the respective country and other policies of the Bank and the IIC.
Section 2. Operations. a) To carry out its purpose, the Fund shall provide financing in the form of grants, loans, guarantees or any combination thereof, and as provided in paragraph (b) of this Section, also in the form of equity and quasi-equity or any combination thereof; provided, however, that the Fund shall maintain its essential grant-making character at levels commensurate with MIF I historical practice. The Fund may also provide advisory services. Financing and advisory services may be provided to governments, government agencies, sub-national entities, non-governmental organizations, private sector entities, or others, to support operations that further the Fund’s purpose. Among other activities, Fund operations may be directed at: (i) supporting improvements in the business environment, with a focus on promoting efficient, transparent and responsible market practices, encouraging the implementation of appropriate legal and regulatory reforms, and advancing the application of international norms and standards;
(ii) supporting activities that increase the ability of the private sector to generate income, create employment opportunities, develop workforce skills, utilize technology, and achieve sustainable growth, with a focus on micro and small enterprises;
(iii) developing innovative business and entrepreneurial models or networks that contribute to the process of development; engaging the public and private sectors in collaborative endeavors; advancing socially responsible approaches to doing business; and
(iv) sharing knowledge and lessons learned from its initiatives.
(i) supporting improvements in the business environment, with a focus on promoting efficient, transparent and responsible market practices, encouraging the implementation of appropriate legal and regulatory reforms, and advancing the application of international norms and standards;
(ii) supporting activities that increase the ability of the private sector to generate income, create employment opportunities, develop workforce skills, utilize technology, and achieve sustainable growth, with a focus on micro and small enterprises;
(iii) developing innovative business and entrepreneurial models or networks that contribute to the process of development; engaging the public and private sectors in collaborative endeavors; advancing socially responsible approaches to doing business; and
(iv) sharing knowledge and lessons learned from its initiatives.
b) To also achieve the Fund’s purpose, a Small Enterprise Investment Fund (the ‘‘SEIF’’) shall be maintained as a fund within the MIF II and shall at all times and in all respects be held, used, obligated, invested and accounted for separately from other resources of the Fund. The resources of the SEIF may be used to make loans, guarantees, equity and quasi-equity investments or any combination thereof, directly or through intermediaries, to private sector entities which are creating or expanding services to micro and small enterprises, or which are financing or investing in micro and small enterprises. The Donors Committee shall determine the basic terms and conditions of such loans, guarantees and investments, including with due regard for repayment prospects. Any amounts, whether dividends, interest or otherwise, received by the Bank from the operations of the SEIF shall be deposited to the account of the Fund.
Section 3. Principles for Fund Operations. a) Financing from the Fund shall be provided under the terms and conditions of this MIF II Agreement consistent with the rules set out in Articles III, IV and VI of the Agreement Establishing the Inter-American Development Bank (the ‘‘Charter’’), and, where appropriate, the policies of the Bank applicable to its own operations and the rules and policies of the IIC shall apply. All regional developing member countries of the Bank and the CDB are potentially eligible recipients of financing from the Fund to the extent that they are eligible beneficiaries of financing from the Bank.
b) The Fund shall continue its practice of sharing the cost of operations with executing agencies, encouraging appropriate counterpart funding and adhering to the principle of not crowding out private sector activities.
c) In deciding on providing grant funds, the Donors Committee shall pay particular attention to the commitment of specific member countries to poverty reduction, the social costs of economic reforms, the financial needs of the prospective recipients and the relative levels of poverty in specific member countries.
d) Financing in the territories of countries which are members of the CDB, but not the Bank, shall be conducted in consultation and agreement with, or through, the CDB and under such conditions, consistent with the principles of this Section, as the Donors Committee shall decide.
e) Fund resources shall not be used to finance or pay for project expenses which have been incurred prior to the date the Fund resources may be available.
f) Grants may be made available on a basis which permits contingent recovery in appropriate cases of funds disbursed.
g) The Fund shall not be used to finance any undertaking in the territory of a regional developing member country of the Bank if that member objects to such financing.
h) Fund operations shall include specific goals and measurable results. The developmental impact of the Fund’s operations shall be measured in accordance with a system that takes into account the purpose and functions of the Fund stated in Article I and subject to best practices to the effect of: (i) outcome indicators, disbursement speed, degree of innovation, ability to disseminate lessons learned, and performance in the execution of projects;
(ii) a framework for evaluating projects on an individual and project-group basis, and ex-post evaluations; and
(iii) public dissemination of results.
(i) outcome indicators, disbursement speed, degree of innovation, ability to disseminate lessons learned, and performance in the execution of projects;
(ii) a framework for evaluating projects on an individual and project-group basis, and ex-post evaluations; and
(iii) public dissemination of results.
i) Fund operations shall be designed and executed in order to maximize efficiency and developmental impact, with particular emphasis on ex-ante risk assessment and strengthening of executing agencies. The Donors Committee may approve partnering with local entities for project preparation and execution.