Caleb M Fundanga: Access to finance – corporate governance and sustainability Opening remarks by Dr Caleb M Fundanga, Governor of the Bank of Zambia, at the official opening of the Microfinance and Small to Medium Enterprises Conference on “Access to Finance: Corporate Governance and Sustainability”, Lusaka, 17 June 2008. *  *  *  • Honourable Felix Mutati, MP – Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry; • Mr Michael Mundashi – Non-Executive Director Standard Chartered Bank; • Mrs Mizinga Melu – Managing Director Standard Chartered Bank • Mr Prashant Thakker – Global Head of Microfinance Institutions of Standard CharteredBank • Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen I am honoured to have this opportunity to make keynote remarks at this conference on Microfinance Institutions and Small to Medium Enterprises organised by Standard Chartered Bank, whose theme is “Access to Finance: Corporate Governance and Sustainability”. I wish to extend a warm welcome to all participants, particularly those that have travelled from outside the country. I hope that you will find time to see some of the tourist spots of Lusaka and experience the warm hospitality that Zambia has to offer. Distinguished Guests, following the liberalisation of the Zambian economy in the early 1990’s, the number of small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) has increased significantly as the Government divested from running business in the economy to pave way for increased participation of the private sector.
Jean-Claude Trichet: The economic situation in France and the euro area  Speech by Mr Jean-Claude Trichet, Governor of the Banque de France, at the press conference of the Monetary Policy Council of the Banque de France on 20 December 2000. *  *  *  Ladies and Gentlemen, Allow me to welcome you on behalf of the Monetary Policy Council of the Banque de France. As the euro stands on the threshold of its third year, I shall discuss in the name of our MPC the economic situation in France and the euro area, before commenting upon the latest monetary policy decisions made by the Eurosystem. Activity advanced at a sustained pace in the euro area The upturn experienced by the euro-area economies in the first half of 1999 continued and strengthened throughout 2000. Foreign trade contributed significantly to the rebound. In addition, the euro area benefited from a marked improvement in domestic demand, with household consumption increasing at a fast clip before stabilising at a high level in the third quarter. At the same time, good borrowing conditions and the prospect of robust demand, coupled with a substantial increase in the use of production capacity and improved corporate profitability, gave investment a strong boost. According to the most recent estimates, the conjunction of these auspicious developments should translate into 3.4% growth in euro-area GDP in 2000.