ANKARA — Türkiye has secured €1.5 billion in favorable financing aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the “Access to Finance for Employment and Growth Project.”
According to information obtained from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, the project was approved by the Executive Board of the World Bank and will be implemented through VakıfBank.
Within the scope of the program, loans of up to €1.5 billion from international lenders will be supported by a €750 million guarantee from the World Bank, enabling businesses to access longer-term and lower-cost external financing.
The financing aims to strengthen the real sector by providing funding primarily to SMEs with high levels of female ownership or female employment, as well as businesses located in regions affected by natural disasters. The program is also designed to support youth and women’s employment and contribute to economic development.
Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek stated that the total amount of concessional external financing approved by the World Bank for Türkiye in 2025 reached approximately $4.2 billion, adding that cooperation with the institution is expected to continue strengthening in the coming years.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to improve SMEs’ access to credit and support sustainable growth across the Turkish economy.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök