South Asia

Advisory Services

IFC Advisory programs are funded from its net income along with co-funding from other donors. IFC manages these programs either directly or in partnership with enterprises and institutions. The SME development program, SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Northeast India, is managed by IFC in partnership with the U.K. Department for International Development and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. The Bangladesh Investment Climate program, Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund, is managed by IFC in partnership with the U.K. Department for International Development and the European Union. IFC South Asia Advisory Services are headquartered in New Delhi.

IFC Advisory services in the South Asia region work seamlessly with investment teams and continue to focus on supporting commercial banks through capacity enhancements in conjunction with investments, strengthening SME finance, and supplier linkages across sectors such as readymade garments, light engineering and agribusiness. Linkage programs and rural development initiatives are important priorities. IFC is also working with select clients in India under the IFC Against AIDS program, providing funding and advice to expand their HIV awareness building and training programs.

In India, IFC’s Advisory portfolio currently comprises of about 40 active projects. These projects include Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Grassroots/Rural Business, Infrastructure, Environment, Access to Finance and Business Enabling Environment.

The newly formed South Asia Infrastructure Advisory Facility will support setting up bankable public-private partnerships to facilitate infrastructure development in the region while Bangladesh Investment Climate Fund has made a promising beginning in working with the Bangladesh government to formulate business friendly policies, laws and regulations, and strengthen the institutions that implement them in close collaboration with Bangladeshi private sector and civil society. SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility works with the private sector and governments to expand the availability and affordability of financial services, improve food security through climate resilient agriculture, and support climate change mitigation by promoting clean growth and sustainable financing.