YEREVAN, February 12. /ARKA/. The Yerevan-based ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK together with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) held an event on the topic "Women in Business" with the aim of providing financial services to women entrepreneurs as part of cooperation between the two financial organizations.

"The goal is to support and encourage women entrepreneurs, so that they are even more actively represented in business, and start one if they did not do so yet," said Arsen Melikyan, the head of Marketing and Development Department of the bank.

According to him, women entrepreneurs with interesting ideas for expanding their businesses can receive funding and quality advice from the bank.

Hakob Hakobyan, the head of the Sales and Corporate Product Department of the bank noted that one third of the their clients among small and medium businesses are women. He said the purpose of the bank is to become the main bank for them.

He said until April 30, the bank will be lending to women businessmen at special terms , in particular, loans of up to 4 million drams will be provided without collateral at the rate of 13% per annum , and at 10% per annum in US dollars. In case of larger loans, the annual rate will be 12.5% ​​and 9%, respectively.
The bank said more than 90 women leaders of SMEs from different sectors of the economy took part in the event.

ACBA was established in 1996 as part of EU’s TACIS program. As a result of a long-term and mutually beneficial cooperation between ACBA Bank and the French Credit Agricole the latter became the biggest shareholder of ACBA in 2006, September. ACBA was restructured, becoming a closed joint stock company and was renamed ACBA CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK. -0-