Representatives of the Viet Nam International Commercial Joint Stock Bank (VIB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sign the US$260-million syndicated loan, Ha Noi, March 21, 2022.

The loan agreement is expected to enhance access to finance for SMEs, individual businesses and promote capital financing for quality housing for individual customers in Viet Nam.

The funding comprises a direct ADB loan of US$100 million and a syndicated loan of US$160 million arranged by ADB and the United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB) from nine Asian financial institutions.

According to the agreement, VIB also cooperates with ADB to implement the Technical Assistance (TA) program for female entrepreneurs with a budget of US$500,000 from the Women Entrepreneurs Financial Initiative Fund (WE-FI). This is the first TA grant provided in Viet Nam that exclusively helps a bank to promote women's entrepreneurship.

ADB Director General for Private Sector Operations Suzanne Gaboury emphasized the vital role of banks in addressing the issues of financial access for SMEs and individual household borrowers, to ensure an inclusive and sustainable development path for Viet Nam.

She added this agreement is one item of the project to strengthen Viet Nam's banking sector and help financing access become easier to individual customers and SMEs.

In 2019, SMEs contributed 40 percent of the nation's GDP and 50 percent of jobs.