Microfinance in Palestine: Are loans too expensive and should interest rates be capped?
27/09/2016
Uno studio realizzato da Marco Azzalini dell’Italian Agency for Development Cooperation AICS – Jerusalem Office con Valeria E. Pujia e Katia Raguzzoni di Microfinanza S.r.l. che ha ricevuto commenti anche dal presidente di Link2007, Paolo Dieci.
Il documneto è in lingua inglese.
“In Palestine as in other countries, a debate over interest rates and other fees applied by MFIs is growing. It is a common belief that loans offered by local MFIs are overpriced and thus, large shares of the population – in particular micro-entrepreneurs, small-scale farmers and women – cannot afford to take up credit. Many stakeholders are also advocating for a government intervention to set
an interest rate ceiling for specific economic sectors or beneficiary groups, most in need of finance.
Are Palestinian MFIs asking for disproportionate interest rates and fees? Are they inefficient or making too much profit? Based on the
experience in other countries, are “interest rate caps” effective in fostering financial inclusion among marginalized groups? This brief
aims to shed light on these issues and provide policymakers and donors in Palestine with some general recommendations.”