ຂ່າວສານ

21 ມ.ຖ. ກອງປະຊຸມສຳ​ມະ​ນາກ່ຽວ​ກັບ​ “ການນຳສະເໜີກ່ຽວກັບ ການເງິນສີຂຽວ ໃຫ້ແກ່ສະຖາບັນການເງິນທີ່ເປັນຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານຂອງກອງທຶນ LAFF ແລະ ສກຈຮ ໃນ ສປປ ລາວ

ໃນວັນທີ 21 ມິຖຸນາ 2022 ຜ່ານມານີ້, ທີ່ໂຮງແຮມຄຣາວພາຊາ ນະຄອນຫຼວງວຽງຈັນ, ກົມບໍລິການ ທຫລ ໄດ້ຈັດກອງປະຊຸມສຳມະນາໃນຫົວຂໍ້: ການ​ນຳສະເໜີກ່ຽວກັບ ‘‘ການເງິນສີຂຽວ ໃຫ້ແກ່ສະຖາບັນການເງິນທີ່ເປັນຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານຂອງກອງທຶນ LAFF ແລະ ສກຈຮ ໃນ ສປປ ລາວ’’  ໂດຍການເປັນປະທານຂອງທ່ານ ຄຳແກ້ວ ວິສີສົມບັດ ຫົວໜ້າກົມບໍລິການ ທຫລ ແລະ ທ່ານ ອິນທຣາຈິດ ວີເຈສີຣິວັດທະນາ, ຫົວໜ້າທີມງານທີ່ປຶກສາ AFC ທີ່ປຶກສາປະຈຳກອງທຶນສົ່ງເສີມການເຂົ້າເຖິງແຫຼງທຶນໃນ ສປປ ລາວ (LAFF) ພ້ອມນີ້, ກໍ່ມີຄະນະພາຍໃນ ທຫລ, ຄະນະຄຸ້ມຄອງບໍລິຫານງານ LAFF, ສະມາຄົມການເງິນຈຸລະພາກ (ສມກຈ) ແລະສະຖາບັນການເງິນທີ່ເປັນຄູ່ຮ່ວມງານຂອງກອງທຶນ LAFF ແລະ ສກຈຮ ເຂົ້າຮ່ວມ.

ຈຸດປະສົງຂອງກອງປະຊຸມສໍາ​ມະ​ນາໃນມື້ນີ້, ແມ່ນເພື່ອ​ນຳ​ສະ​ເໜີ​​ກ່ຽວ​ກັບ​ຄຳ​ນິ​ຍາມ​ໃນ​ການ​ເຮັດ​ວຽກ ກ່ຽວ​ກັບ​ການ​ເງິນ​ສີ​ຂຽວ ທີ່​ທາງ​ໂຄງ​ການກອງ​ທຶນ LAFF ໄດ້​ກຳ​ນົດ​ຂື້ນ​ມາ ເພື່ອ​ເປັນ​ບ່ອນ​ອີງ​ໃນ​ການ​ຊຸກ​ຍູ້​ສົ່ງ​ເສີມ​ວຽກ​ງານ “ກອງທຶນ LAFF” ເຊິງເປັນໂຄງການທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບທຶນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຈາກລັດຖະບານປະເທດເຢຍລະມັນ ໂດຍຜ່ານທະນາຄານເພື່ອການພັດທະນາຂອງປະເທດເຢຍລະມັນ ຫຼື KfW ໂຄງການດັ່ງກ່າວແມ່ນໄດ້ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນດ້ວຍການເຊັນສັນຍາຮ່ວມມືດ້ານການເງິນ ລະຫວ່າງ ລັດຖະບານຂອງປະເທດ ເຢຍລະມັນ ຕາງໜ້າໂດຍ ທະນາຄານເພື່ອການພັດທະນາຂອງປະເທດ ເຢຍລະມັນ ຫຼື KfW ແລະ ລັດຖະບານ ສປປ ລາວ ຕາງໜ້າໂດຍກະຊວງການເງິນ ໃນນາມເປັນຜູ້ຮັບທືນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ ແລະ ທະນາຄານແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ ໃນນາມເປັນຜູ້ຄຸ້ມຄອງ ບໍລິຫານໂຄງການດ້ວຍເງິນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ ໄລຍະ I ຈຳນວນ 3 ລ້ານຢູໂຣເຊີ່ງໄດ້ເຊັນສັນຍາໃນເດືອນ ມີນາ ປີ 2014 ແລະ ໄລຍະທີ II ຈໍານວນ 6 ລ້ານຢູໂຣ ເຊີ່ງໄດ້ເຊັນສັນຍາໃນເດືອນ ສິງຫາ ປີ 2020 ໂດຍມີເປົ້າໝາຍເພື່ອສ້າງເປັນກອງທຶນສົ່ງເສີມການເຂົ້າເຖິງແຫຼ່ງທຶນສຳລັບຈຸນລະວິສາຫະກິດ, ວິສາຫະກິດຂະໜາດນ້ອຍ ແລະ ກາງ (MSMEs) ໂດຍການສະໜອງທຶນເງິນກູ້ໄລຍະຍາວ ທີ່ເປັນສະກຸນເງິນກີບ ຕາມເງື່ອນໄຂຕະຫຼາດ ໃຫແກ່ ທະນາຄານທຸລະກິດ ແລະ ສະ​ຖາ​ບັນ​ການ​ເງິນ​ຈຸ​ລະ​ພາກ​ທີ່​ຮັບ​ເງິນ​ຝາກ ທີ່ມີຄວາມເຂັ້ມແຂງດ້ານການດຳເນີນງານ; ດ້ານການເງິນ ແລະ ມີຍຸດທະສາດການປ່ອຍເງິນກູ້ຍ່ອຍໃຫ້ແກ່ກຸ່ມລູກຄ້າ MSMEs ທີ່ນອນໃນເຂດນອກຕົວເມືອງໃຫຍ່ (ເງິນກູ້ຍ່ອຍຈະຖືກປ່ອຍອອກຢູ່ນອກພື້ນທີ່ສາມຕົວເມືອງໃຫຍ່ຂອງນະຄອນຫຼວງວຽງຈັນ ເຊັ່ນ: ຈັນທະບູລີ, ໄຊເສດຖາ ແລະ ສີສັດຕະນາກ) ກອງທຶນ LAFF ດັ່ງກ່າວນີ້ ແມ່ນຕັ້ງຢູ່ກົມບໍລິການທະນາຄານ ຂອງ ທະນາຄານແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ ແລະ ໃນໄລຍະຜ່ານມາໂຄງຮ່າງການຄຸ້ມຄອງບໍລິຫານກອງທຶນແມ່ນໄດ້ຮັບການຕົກລົງເຫັນດີຢ່າງເປັນທາງການຈາກອົງການຜູ້ໃຫ້ທຶນກໍ່ຄື KfW ແລະ ທຫລ ເພື່ອຮັບປະກັນເຮັດໃຫ້ການຄຸ້ມຄອງບໍລິຫານກອງທຶນດັ່ງກ່າວ ໃຫ້ມີປະສິດທິຜົນ ແລະ  ມີຄວາມໂປ່ງໄສ ພ້ອມທັງຮັບປະກັນເພື່ອເຮັດໃຫ້ກອງທຶນມີການຂະຫຍາຍຕົວ ເພື່ອເປີດໂອກາດໃຫ້ຫຼາຍທະນາຄານທຸ​ລະ​ກິດ ແລະ ສະຖາບັນການເງິນຈຸລະພາກ ໄດ້ກູ້ຢືມທຶນຈາກກອງທຶນ ເພື່ອນຳໄປປ່ອຍກູ້ຕໍ່ໃຫ້ແກ່ MSMEs. ຮອດ​ປັດຈຸບັນ, ມີສະ​ຖາ​ບັນ​ການ​ເງິນ​ທີ່​ເປັນ​ຄູ່​ຮ່ວ​ມ​ງານ​ກັບ​ກອງ​ທຶນ ຈຳ​ນວນ 07 ສະ​ຖາ​ບັນການ​ເງິນ (3 ທະ​ນາ​ຄານ​ທຸ​ລະ​ກິດ ແລະ 4 ສະ​ຖາ​ບັນ​ການ​ເງິນ​ຈຸ​ລະ​ພາກ​ທີ່​ຮັບ​ເງິນ​ຝາກ) ລວມຍອດວົງເງິນທີ່​ໄດ້​ອະ​ນຸ​ມັດແຕ່​ເລີ່ມ​ໂຄງ​ການ ຈົນ​ຮອດ​ປັດ​ຈຸ​ບັນ ​ມີ​ທັງ​ໝັດ 135 ຕື້​ກີບ.

ຂ່າວ-ພາບ: ສຸກລາຕີບົວຄ່າສິດ

19 ​ພ.ຈ. The Lao Access to Finance Fund goes forward

On the 5th of April 2019, the Lao Access to Finance Fund (LAFF) Management Unit of the Bank of Lao PDR (BoL) organized a roundtable workshop to exchange about LAFF.

The main objective of the workshop was to discuss the progress, outstanding issues and the proposed ways forward under the framework of LAFF management and implementation. The workshop was chaired by Ms. Fongchinda Sengsourivong, Director General of the BoL Banking Operations Department of and LAFF Director on behalf of the LAFF’s executive agency; and co-chaired by Mr. Florian Sekinger, Regional Manager Sustainable-Economic Development East Asia of KfW.

During the workshop six main topics were discussed:

1. Partner Financial Institutions (PFI) selection: Based on expressions of interest of 10 financial institutions (5 commercial banks and 5 deposit-taking microfinance institutions – DTMFI) and after the assessment and screening conducted by the LAFF’s loan allocation preparation sub-unit, 5 financial institutions (2 commercial banks and 3 DTMFIs) were shortlisted. Further assessment conducted by the Commercial Bank Supervision Department for commercial bank applicants and the Financial Institutions Supervision Department for MFI applicants concluded that one commercial bank and one DTMFI are proposed to be considered by the LAFF steering committee.
2. Market-based Interest rates: According to fundamental LAFF principles, the fund will use only market-based interest rates. KfW and BoL agreed on the calculating method on market-based interest rates for the LAFF debt-finance by using the average interest rate for long-term deposit charged by the commercial banks and DTMFIs in the Lao PDR. In conclusion, the interest rate of the LAFF debt-finance for commercial banks is currently derived to be 7.0 % nominal per annum, while for DTMFIs it is 11.50%.
3. PFI eligibility criteria: As agreed, the eligibility criteria for LAFF I will remain strict for banks and will be detailed over time MFIs based on an internationally oriented benchmark study to be prepared by AFC. On the other hand, the project documents for LAFF II will aim at creating more room for maneuver for the LAFF management unit (LMU) in terms of adapting core criteria depending on movements in market conditions.
4. KYC-criteria for PFIs (background check): The background check on owners, BoD members and core managers of PFIs is recognized as a check of utmost importance. It was agreed that the KYC-check will be done by the Commercial Bank Supervision Department and the Financial Institutions Supervision Department, and be explicitly mentioned in the respective assessment forms.
5. Operational Manual preparation: The development of the Operational Manual had been defined high priority by BoL during the last workshop. AFC presented the progress on the preparation.
6. Capacity building for BoL: The workshop participants discussed, identified and agreed on various training courses for the LAFF management unit, such as fund management, LAFF-related financial indicators and business English.

In conclusion, the workshop successfully achieved the set objectives and came up with some follow-up action points that will be further taken over by the LAFF management unit of BoL and the AFC consultant team.

For further details please contact Jakob Lutz (Jakob.lutz@afci.de ).

19 ​ພ.ຈ. Capacity Building Measures for the Lao Access to Finance Fund (LAFF)

Minutes of Meeting (MoM) LAFF website management (10.10.2019)

19 ​ພ.ຈ. Germany provides additional funds for LAFF

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/ANN) – The grant of 0.8 million euros was provided through Germany’s KfW Development Bank.

Germany has committed 0.8 million euros for the Lao Access to Finance Fund (LAFF) to strengthen capacity building and training of the Bank of the Lao PDR (BOL) and partner banks.

The grant in the amount of 0.8 million euros was provided through Germany’s KfW Development Bank.

The handover ceremony took place on Tuesday at the BOL in the presence of Director General of Banking Operation Department, BOL Ms Fongchinda Sengsourivong, KfW Country Director Lorenz Gessner and a representative of Ministry of Finance.

“The additional grant for the Lao Access to Finance Fund will further strengthen the banks’ capacity and quality participating in the fund which will have in turn positive effects on the overall services provided by the banks to the private sector in order to develop and expand,” Fongchinda said.

“The consulting services for delivering training and capacity building to the BOL and the partner banks are vital components for reaching the overall and specific objectives of the programme, which is the support of the commercial banking sector in Laos in providing sustainable and needs-based financial services for poor households and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in rural areas,” cited KfW Country Director Lorenz Gessner.

According to KfW, the first bank participating in the LAFF is ACLEDA Bank Lao, which has successfully disbursed more than EUR 3 million over the last two years to MSME in Laos with an average loan size of 2,600 euros.

The programme objective is to facilitate the access of MSME to long-term finance in the domestic financial sector by offering eligible partner banks a target group oriented refinancing facility, which is aligned with the existing business environment of the local banking system.

The rationale of the focus on MSME is the expected above average impact on poverty alleviation through job creation and income generation.

KfW Development Bank is Germany’s leading development bank and an integral part of KfW. It carries out Germany’s Financial Cooperation with developing countries on behalf of the Federal Government.

It goals are to combat poverty, secure peace, protect the environment and the climate and make globalisation fair. KfW is a competent and strategic advisor on current development issues. 

19 ​ພ.ຈ. ACLEDA Bank Lao Ltd.

ACLEDA Bank Lao Ltd. CEO and Managing Director Narin Phon (left) shakes hands with BOL Banking Operations Department Acting Director General Oth Phonhxiengdy after signing the agreement

19 ​ພ.ຈ. Summary Introduction “Lao Access to Finance Fund”

1. Project

• Bilateral German-Lao Development Cooperation.

• Grant funding to the Lao PDR, Ministry of Finance.

• Ministry of Finance channeled to Bank of Lao PDR to manage (BoL = Project Executive Agency).

2. Principal

• Initial principal EUR 3.0 million.

• Accrued interest EUR 1.0 million, on separate account.

• Additional (2020) EUR 6.0 million.

• Total (2020) EUR 10 million.

3. Interest income

• Expected annual-interest income (2020): EUR 1.0 million.

• BoL can propose usage for its own benefits (e.g. trainings, exposure trips).

4. Characteristics

• Project-based: no legal personality, contracting in name BoL

• Wholesale debt-finance facility in LAK: loans to banks and DTMFI (PFIs) in LAK

• Market based:
• interest rate charged to banks and DTMFIs is in line with comparable liability funding;
• No interference in PFIs’ credit policies (e.g. selection of MSE-borrowers);
• No interference if PFIs’ marketing strategies (e.g. type of sectors, locations, pricing of loans to MSEs)

• Conditional:
• Strategic interest in lending to MSEs, including informal enterprises;
• Institutionalization of term lending (loans with duration of over 1 ½ year duration);
• Outside urban areas of Vientiane Capital;
• Minimum 30% for agricultural activities.

5. LAFF-Project Management

• LAFF Steering Committee (LSC)

Mandate: Oversees and signs-off loans to PFIs, and annual workplan and budgets for LAFF’s Management. Requests and receives external-audit reports.

Composition: Deputy Governor (Chair), DG of BOD (Vice-Chair), DDG of BOD, DDG of BSD, DDG of FISD.

• LAFF Management Unit (LMU)

Mandate: Management of operations, external and internal communication.

Director: Responsible for effective management in accordance to project’s principles. Reports to LSC. Manages relationship with BSD and FISD (see below).

Secretariat: Internal and external communication, the latter including the logistics of the Call for EoI process; preparation annual workplan and budget. Supports Director.

Loan Allocation Preparation subunit: Does financial analysis and due diligence of EoI-applicant banks and DTMFIs. In many ways the most important part of the overall governance and operational structure that requires high-levels of expertise. Prepares credit memorandum for LSC.

Loan Administration and Reporting subunit: Makes loan contract; issues notifications for installments of interest and principal; requests reports from PFIs; administers the LAFF portfolio and reports on it. Another main part of operations.

6. Involved External Stakeholders

• BSD and FISD: do repayment-capacity assessment and due diligence screening for and on request of the Director of the LMU based on off-site reports and on-site inspections.

• KfW: have to give no-objection to main LAFF-management decisions (e.g. LAFF-lending, annual workplan and budget).

• External Consultant: to be hired by LMU to support LAFF-management processes, funded from LAFF-interest income

• External Auditor: external audit and evaluation reports, to be instigated and received by LSC, funded from LAFF-interest income.

• AFC: technical assistance provider.

7. Technical Assistance

• LMU Director and LAP: financial analysis, due diligence process, Excel-based, with written explanation and in-person teaching.

• BSD and FISD LAFF-Teams: repayment-capacity assessment and due diligence processes

• LMU Director and LAR: Excel-based LAFF-loan portfolio administration and reporting; loan-contract screening, with written explanation and in-person teaching.

• Operational Manual: Codification management and operational processes.