The investment will directly support IFC priorities in Paraguay, fostering private investment and competition; encouraging economic formalization through financial resources for local businesses; and directing capital toward solutions that drive gender equality.

The loan will increase access to finance for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Paraguay, which in turn will have a positive impact on job creation and the economic recovery from the effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

The bank will work in partnership with local banks and financial institutions using best practices in microfinance for provision of Islamic banking services, and will apply an integrated system of financial and non-financial services to support value and supply chains for MSMEs.

The initiative aims to help clients and communities by providing blended financial and non-financial digital services including advisory services, training and more to assure ease of access to e-money and transfers for its customers.

The Humanitarian Transfers Platform enables humanitarian agencies to execute transfers directly to their interventions beneficiaries without a third party.

The National Cash Transfer Company piloted the Door to Door Payment method as a response to the new challenging context and a preventive measure for coronavirus-related risks.

Cash transfers from Yemenis abroad to their country have declined by 80 percent in the first four months of 2020, Oxfam announced on Thursday.

The World Bank estimates that one in ten people in Yemen wholly rely on money transfers to meet their basic needs. Remittances to Yemen in 2019 totaled $3.8 billion - 13% of GDP.