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The OPIC Blog
Featured Photo: Guaranties for small business lending in ParaguaySeptember 13, 2012Paraguayan entrepreneur Mercedes Cabrera de Idiarte started a clothing manufacturing business with five sewing machines, and today has 25 machines, 36 employees and sells apparel across Paraguay, generating annual revenue of 200 million guarani (about USD $45,000). Cabrera began working with the local Banco Familiar 19 years ago and her credit line with has risen to 15 million guarani. She used 
Sharing OPIC’s Story: A conversation with Judith Pryor, Vice President of Office of External AffairsJuly 31, 2012In your experience, what is it that people find most interesting about OPIC’s work and what do they find most surprising? It varies by audience, of course, but in general OPIC’s project success stories are what people are most interested in. People like to hear how two college friends who traveled through Brazil came up with the idea to introduce 
“The most promising frontier market in the world today”July 27, 2012OPIC President and CEO Elizabeth Littlefield told Congress on Wednesday July 25 that Africa presented extensive investment and development opportunities but that U.S. businesses remain underrepresented on the continent. During the panel discussion, Embracing Africa’s Market Potential, before the Africa Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Littlefield described how OPIC supports long-term U.S. investments in Africa through political risk insurance, “The itty-bitty multinational”June 05, 2012Many large U.S. corporations earn more than half their revenue in overseas markets, but as OPIC President and CEO Elizabeth Littlefield writes in The Atlantic, small businesses can also benefit from thinking globally. Littlefield notes that emerging markets have grown from 23 percent of the world economy in 1999 to nearly 40 percent in 2011, and will be the majority of 
Myths about Helping Small and Medium Enterprises in Post-Conflict CountriesMay 23, 2012Post-conflict economies share striking similarities regardless of region or era. Their economies are dominated by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), usually in the informal sector. Their banking systems have collapsed or credit has retreated to large companies and well-connected players. The rule of law is in shambles. Once a cash economy is functioning, populations are settling and some basic security OPIC’s increased commitment to small businessMay 22, 2012Small businesses are at the heart of the U.S. economy, and OPIC is committed to putting them at the heart of the global economy as well. This chart illustrates the progress OPIC has made in recent years. In fiscal year 2011, 78% of OPIC’s committed projects were with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). That represents an increase from 69% in Dr. Lawrence Spinelli, OPIC’s Director of Public Affairs: “The credit crisis is a very real challenge for businesses and OPIC is here to help them.”April 04, 2012How OPIC has made a special effort to work with small businesses As the Director of Public Affairs for OPIC, Dr. Larry Spinelli spearheads the Expanding Horizons seminars and workshops, which help educate American small- and medium-sized businesses about the benefits of entering emerging markets abroad, and the ways that OPIC’s finance and political risk insurance products can help. With 
Expanding small business lending in AfghanistanJanuary 27, 2012OPIC and Afghan Growth Finance (AGF) have agreed to expand an existing partnership and this week signed an agreement to co-finance up to $11.5 million in loans to small businesses in Afghanistan. The new facility will provide small and medium-sized enterprises with access to capital in larger amounts and for long-term tenors – terms generally unavailable from other financial institutions in the Expanding a successful program for small businessesJanuary 18, 2012In 2012, OPIC will expand its popular Expanding Horizons event for small businesses, hosting seminars and workshops in multiple cities around the U.S. to help educate small businesses about the benefits of entering emerging markets abroad, and the ways that OPIC’s finance and political risk insurance products can help. OPIC has hosted Expanding Horizons around the country for the past six 
U.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen urges U.S. businesses to look beyond their bordersNovember 16, 2011U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen made introductory remarks at OPIC’s October 26 Expanding Horizons seminar in Miami, where she told a group of small businesses that expanding internationally could be key to their growth and overall success. Ros-Lehtinen, who represents a U.S. Congressional District in South Florida, stressed that trade played an important role in the overall economic health of the |
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