VIENNA (WAM)
The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) is strengthening access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kosovo with a €15 million loan to Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo (RBKO).
The operation will help address persistent credit gaps for small businesses, including women-owned enterprises, and marks the OPEC Fund’s first private sector loan in the country.
OPEC Fund Vice President, Private Sector, Tareq Alnassar, commented, “SMEs are the backbone of Kosovo’s economy, yet many remain constrained by limited access to affordable finance. Our partnership with Raiffeisen Bank Kosovo will help channel much-needed resources to local businesses, expand economic opportunities and support more inclusive growth.”
The financing will enable RBKO, Kosovo’s largest bank, to extend longer-tenor loans to local companies, supporting investment, business expansion and job creation across the country.
The new financing partnership builds on the OPEC Fund’s cooperation with Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI Group), deepening engagement with a leading financial institution headquartered in the OPEC Fund’s host country, Austria.
The loan is aligned with the OPEC Fund’s strategic focus on supporting entrepreneurship, strengthening financial inclusion and promoting opportunities for women-led businesses.
It also contributes to Sustainable Development Goals 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).