Fund for the promotion of SMEs and women entrepreneurs: more than one billion credits distributed.

Abidjan, July 30, 2018

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Promotion of SMEs and Banque Atlantique continue to mobilize for the access of women entrepreneurs of Côte d'Ivoire to financing, through the support given to 45 new beneficiaries of the Fund for the Promotion of SMEs and Women Entrepreneurship. Thus, the global amount of loans already distributed within this framework amounts to 1.313 billion out of a financing envelope of 5 billion FCFA made available to the State of Côte d'Ivoire by the Banque Centrale Populaire du Maroc ( PCO).

The check presentation ceremony was held in the presence of MM. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, Minister of Commerce, Handicrafts and Promotion of SMEs, Habib KONE Managing Director of Atlantic Business International and Arsène COULIBALY, Managing Director of Banque Atlantique and in front of a crowd of guests from the business and media world .

The new loans granted by Banque Atlantique to support the growth of 45 women-owned enterprises amount to more than 700 million FCFA. Since its launch in August 2017, this financing mechanism has enabled Banque Atlantique to support 80 women entrepreneurs selected by the Ministry and meeting the predefined criteria. The first two initiatives resulted in the granting of loans for an accompanying volume of CFAF 250 million, distributed to 10 women and more than CFAF 350 million mobilized for another 25.

Financing being an issue for women entrepreneurs, de facto conditioning their success, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Promotion of SMEs and Atlantic Bank confirm, their commitment to a permanent partnership to promote entrepreneurship as an engine of economic growth.

The Fund for the Promotion of SMEs and Women's Entrepreneurship aims to facilitate access to bank credit for women entrepreneurs, including start-ups, in any business sector. The initiative is a concrete stimulus for financing for women, advancing financial inclusion, in line with the ambitions of one of the agreements signed during the visit to Côte d'Ivoire by His Majesty King Mohammed VI , February 27, 2017, by the Minister, Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA and Mohamed BENCHAABOUN, CEO of the BCP Group, in the presence of HE Mr. Alassane OUATTARA, President of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire.

About the Ministry of Commerce, of Industry and Promotion of SMEs

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Promotion of SMEs is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the Government's Trade Policy, Industry and Promotion of SMEs.
Under the Promotion of SMEs, it is responsible for monitoring and coordinating development actions, SMEs / SMIs, implementing and monitoring policies aimed at promoting 'gol and the efficiency of SMEs.

About Banque Atlantique

Banque Atlantique is the 3rd largest banking group in the WAEMU zone in terms of market share.

Banque Atlantique is present in the eight countries of the WAEMU area:
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Ivory Coast
• Guinea-Bissau
• Mali
• Niger
• Senegal
• Togo

Atlantic Bank s also supports specialized subsidiaries such as:
• Merchant Banking: Atlantic Finance
• Asset Management: Atlantic Asset Management
• Insurance: Atlantic Life and Atlantic Insurance P & C Insurance in Côte d'Ivoire, GTAC2A-Vie and GTA-C2A IARDT in Togo

Banque Atlantique is a subsidiary of the Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) Group of Morocco.

About the Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) Group of Morocco

] BCP Group, one of the first banking institutions Morocco, is in the top 10 African banks in terms of balance sheet size. It draws its strength from its values ​​of solidarity, mutuality and its unique organization in Morocco. The Group is made up of 9 Banque Populaire Regional Banks (BPR) for cooperative purposes; the Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP), the central body of the Group in the form of a public limited company listed on the stock market; as well as specialized subsidiaries, foundations and banks and representations abroad. BCP Group is present in 12 African countries and 13 other countries in the rest of the world.

In the UEMOA area, BCP relies heavily on Banque Atlantique to build the first pan-African banking group, which is socially connected and locally anchored.
This notion of solidarity refers to the Group's commitment alongside African countries for the financing of major infrastructure projects and the development of social and financial inclusion, while strengthening the link between the African diaspora in the region. world and countries of origin.
It also illustrates the strong link between the Group and its various subsidiaries for greater resilience over time.