SIGAR

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
A speaker discusses USAID’s Access to Finance program for conference attendees.
(USAID photo)
Beyond security challenges that make it difficult to ignite private-sectorled
and inclusive growth, the IMF recommended the government eliminate
regulatory and administrative barriers for businesses, improve infrastructure,
and provide key business services while simultaneously strengthening
structures for macroeconomic management, the financial sector, and economic
governance, not all of which require major funding to carry out. 738
USAID has cumulatively disbursed more than $1.1 billion for economicgrowth
programs in Afghanistan. 739 USAID active economic-growth
programs have a total estimated cost of $531.4 million and can be found
in Table 3.24 on page 176.
Financial Access for Investing in the Development
of Afghanistan
USAID’s 66-month, $108.3 million, Financial Access for Investing in the
Development of Afghanistan (FAIDA) program aims to promote an inclusive,
diverse, and sustainable financial sector that generates jobs and
provides a range of services for micro, small, and medium enterprises.
FAIDA helps Afghan partners build capacity to deliver financial services,
develop a legal framework and market infrastructure, provide technical
assistance to mobile network operators for mobile-money services, and
assist female Afghan entrepreneurs with business-development training so
they can gain access to financing and opportunities for economic and professional
growth. 740
In FY 2016, FAIDA reported that it facilitated the approval of 211 loans
worth $7,185,417 for Afghan enterprises, created 1,086 full-time-equivalent
jobs, and helped 59,179 people find either new or better employment as a
result of participating in U.S.-funded workforce-development programs. 741
REPORT TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS I JANUARY 30, 2017
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