Excerpt from allafrica.com
The Development Bank of Seychelles (DBS) is urging Seychellois who are interested in sustainable fisheries activities to come forward to access funding under the Blue Investment Fund, said a top DBS official.
The Blue Investment Fund (BIF) was launched in 2019 to support the expansion of sustainable fisheries in Seychelles. It is open to all Seychellois citizens as well as locally registered civil society organisations and businesses that are at least 51 percent Seychellois-owned.
“Applicants can apply for a loan from $10,000 up to $3 million and cover up to 90 percent of the total project amount. The BIF loan has a repayment term of up to 15 years at a 4 percent interest rate. This is the most affordable large-scale loan in Seychelles and we are looking forward to working with local businesses and finance their growth,” said Rana Fernandes, Head of Credit at DBS.
Available since 2019, to date, only one application for $250,000 has been approved while several others are under review.
“We are aware of the past delays, but we are now on track to speed up the application and review process and, hopefully, avoid processing hurdles. At the DBS, we are ready to work with interested applicants and find the best way forward for them to access the BIF funding,” she added.
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