SME Lending Diagnostic of Ashur International Bank

Following a workshop on key challenges of SME lending operations in Iraq and internationally recognized best practice SME lending techniques which had been held by LFS in Erbil, Iraq in November 2012 AIB was selected to receive technical assistance to evaluate their institutional performance and SME lending operations. LFS was assigned to carry out this evaluation in two of AIB’s branches, namely Erbil and Sulaymanyah.

After a brief off site preparatory phase two SME experts travelled to Iraq to conduct a SWOT analysis of AIB’s SME operations based on a review of written documentation and on-site interviews with AIB staff and clients. At the closure of the field mission key findings were presented to the management of AIB in a debriefing. Comprehensive findings, conclusions and recommendations were thereafter documented in a written diagnostic report that was submitted to AIB and Sanad. Feedback of AIB and Sanad was discussed in a final workshop alongside with potential institution building measures to be delivered to AIB by LFS in the near future.