Compared with commercial banks that take one day, ADB loans take over 5-year before they are fully disbursed after the borrower signed the loan agreements, because of conditionalities. During which, the funds stay in the banks and gain compounded interest disfavoring Uzbekistan and affects its...

This report analyses the role that external shock financing can play in addressing the adverse impacts of external shocks in L&MICs. It summarises the growth impact of external shocks, maps out existing external shock financing facilities and instruments in the global financing architecture, and...

Microfinance as the best way of tackling poverty is under attack. It has been accused of failing to help the poor, of treating its clients badly, of charging high interest rates and of encouraging poor people to take on excessive debt burdens. The authors examine these issues, and find that...