Bank publishes its 2022 Annual Report
The Malta Development Bank’s various financing schemes have continued to provide an effective mechanism to mobilise private investment, thereby facilitating access to finance, supporting local businesses in their quest for growth and innovation.
The Bank’s Annual Report for 2022, launched in the presence of Minister for Finance and Employment Hon. Clyde Caruana, shares details of how throughout its first five years of operations, the Bank has assisted more than 700 businesses which employ some 40,000 persons, and more than 430 students, by facilitating over €580 million in favourable financing.
Prof Josef Bonnici, MDB Chairman, noted with satisfaction that despite the difficult operating environment that characterised the economy and financial sector in recent years, the Bank has continued to strengthen its financial performance, and for the first time generated an operating profit while the risk profile in the Bank’s portfolio remained low and stable.
“This is the result of prudent operations based on appropriate financial practices in line with sound banking principles”, Prof Bonnici explained.
The MDB Chairman also recalled how during the past year, the Bank swiftly responded to the economic ramifications of the ongoing war in Ukraine through three facilities, without derailing efforts in supporting new investment.
Referring to the two new flagship schemes launched late last year, the SME Guarantee Scheme and the Guaranteed Co-lending Scheme, Prof Bonnici noted how both schemes are tailored to the specific circumstances of local businesses, whilst prioritising those investment projects that contribute to a greener and more digitally oriented economy, in line with the key objectives of the Government and the European Union.
MDB Chief Executive Officer Paul V Azzopardi highlighted the economic impact of the MDB’s operations, explaining that the Bank currently contributes to around 13% of all the banking system’s outstanding loans to Maltese businesses. Mr Azzopardi shared details of how in order to widen its portfolio, the MDB has sought the support of the EIF and also embarked on the ambitious process of becoming a direct implementing partner of InvestEU. The MDB is committed to strengthen its role as Malta’s gateway for EU financial instruments as this will enable more risk taking and an enhanced benefit pass-through to businesses.
“To achieve this objective, while also strengthening the role of the Bank in Malta’s economy, we continue to make a significant investment to ensure a high level of protection to EU funds, including on matters related to internal control systems, the accounting system, and other aspects including anti-money laundering, tax avoidance, data protection, financial and credit risk management and sound governance structures”, Mr Azzopardi explained.
Minister of Finance and Employment, Hon. Clyde Caruana said: “The MDB has proven to be a key player in the economic stability and growth of our country, even though we had the pandemic and a war hamper our momentum. It is nothing short of remarkable that the MDB managed to achieve self-sustainability and become an integral financial institution in just five years. I am also pleased that the MDB have their targets aligned with ours, with human capital ranking high on their agenda. The investment in human capital and in sustainability are crucial aspects that will allow our country, and its institutions, to grow. As the Government works on the future of energy and sustainability, we will be making the utmost to provide substantial investment opportunities in these fields and in Malta’s exclusive economic zone. I look forward for these opportunities to come to fruition which will allow the MDB to play a key role in what we are expecting to be the largest investment opportunity for the Island.”
The MDB Annual Report 2022 is available here.
L-MDB jilgħab rwol kruċjali fl-aċċess għall-finanzi u b’appoġġ għall-investiment privat
Il-Bank jippubblika r-Rapport Annwali 2022
L-iskemi ta’ finanzjament differenti tal-Bank Malti għall-Iżvilupp komplew jipprovdu mekkaniżmu effettiv biex jimmobilizza l-investiment privat, u b’hekk jiffaċilita l-aċċess għall-finanzi, b’appoġġ għan-negozji lokali biex dawn ikomplu jikbru u jsiru iżjed innovattivi.
Ir-Rapport Annwali tal-Bank għall-2022, imniedi fil-preżenza tal-Ministru tal-Finanzi u x-Xogħol, l-Onor. Clyde Caruana, jipprovdi dettalji dwar kif fl-ewwel ħames snin ta’ operat tiegħu, il-Bank għen aktar minn 700 negozju li bejniethom iħaddmu aktar minn 40,000 persuna, u aktar minn 430 student, billi ffaċilita aktar minn €580 miljun f’finanzjament vantaġġjuż.
Prof Josef Bonnici, Chairman tal-MDB, innota b’sodisfazzjon li minkejja l-ambjent diffiċli li kkaratterizza l-ekonomija u s-settur finanzjarju fl-aħħar snin, il-Bank kompla jsaħħaħ il-prestazzjoni finanzjarja tiegħu, u għall-ewwel darba ġġenera profitt operattiv filwaqt li l-profil ta’ riskju tiegħu baqa’ baxx u stabbli.
“Dan hu r-riżultat ta’ ħidma għaqlija bbażata fuq prattiċi finanzjarji xierqa konformi ma’ prinċipji bankarji sodi”, spjega l-Prof Bonniċi. Iċ-Chairman tal-MDB fakkar ukoll kif matul l-aħħar sena, il-Bank kien pront biex wieġeb għall-impatt ekonomiku tal-gwerra fl-Ukrajna permezz ta’ tliet skemi, mingħajr ma naqsu l-isforzi favur investiment ġdid.
B’referenza għaż-żewġ skemi ewlenin imnedija lejn l-aħħar tas-sena li għaddiet, l-SME Guarantee Scheme u l-Guaranteed Co-lending Scheme, Prof Bonnici spjega kif iż-żewġ skemi huma maħduma speċifikament għaċ-ċirkostanzi speċifiċi tan-negozji lokali, filwaqt li jipprijoritizzaw proġetti ta’ investiment li jagħtu kontribut għal ekonomija aktar sostenibbli u diġitali, f’konformità mal-oġġettivi ewlenin tal-Gvern u l-Unjoni Ewropea.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-MDB Paul V. Azzopardi ffoka fuq l-impatt ekonomiku tal-MDB u spjega li l-Bank bħalissa jikkontribwixxi għal 13% tas-self pendenti fis-sistema bankarja lin-negozji Maltin. Is-Sur Azzopardi pprovda dettalji dwar kif biex iwessa’ l-portafoll tiegħu, l-MDB fitex l-appoġġ tal-Fond ta’ Investiment Ewropew u beda wkoll proċess ambizzjuż biex isir sieħeb implimentattiv dirett tal-InvestEU. L-MDB hu kommess li jsaħħaħ ir-rwol tiegħu bħala sors li permezz tiegħu Malta taċċessa aktar strumenti finanzjarji tal-UE għaliex dan jippermetti t-teħid ta’ aktar riskju u benefiċċju akbar li jgħaddi lin-negozji.
“Biex insaħħu dan l-għan, filwaqt li nsaħħu r-rwol tal-Bank fl-ekonomija Maltija, aħna qed inkomplu ninvestu bis-saħħa biex niżguraw livell ta’ protezzjoni ogħla għall-fondi tal-UE, inkluż fuq kwistjonijiet marbuta ma’ sistemi ta’ kontroll intern, is-sistema tal-accounting, il-ġlieda kontra l-ħasil ta’ flus u l-evażjoni tat-taxxa, il-protezzjoni tad-dejta, ġestjoni tar-riskju finanzjarju u ta’ kreditu u strutturi ta’ governanza solidi”, spjega s-Sur Azzopardi.
Il-Ministru tal-Finanzi u x-Xogħol, l-Onor Clyde Caruana qal: “L-MDB wera li huwa attur prinċipali fl-istabbiltà ekonomika u t-tkabbir ta’ pajjiżna, minkejja li kellna l-pandemija u l-gwerra jxekklu l-momentum tat-tkabbir ekonomiku. Il-prestazzjoni tal-MDB kienet ferm notevoli fejn f’ħames snin biss irnexxielu jikseb is-sostenibbiltà fl-operat tiegħu u jsir istituzzjoni finanzjarja integrali. Ninsab kuntent ukoll li l-MDB għandhom il-miri tagħhom allinjati ma’ tagħna, fejn l-investiment fil-kapital uman qed jingħata prijorità fl-aġenda. L-investiment fil-kapital uman u fis-sostenibbiltà huma aspetti kruċjali li jippermettu lill-pajjiżna u l-istituzzjonijiet jikbru. Hekk kif il-Gvern qed jaħdem fuq il-futur tal-enerġija u s-sostenibbiltà, se nkunu qed nagħmlu l-almu kollu tagħna sabiex nipprovdu opportunitajiet ta’ investiment sostanzjali f’dawn l-oqsma u fiż-żona ekonomika esklussiva ta’ Malta. Jien ninsab ħerqan li dawn l-opportunitajiet ser iħallu l-frott u ser jippermettu li l-MDB ikollu rwol ewlieni f’dak li qed nistennew li jkun l-akbar opportunità ta’ investiment għall-gżira”.
Ir-Rapport Annwal tal-MDB hu disponibbli hawnhekk.
3 ta’ Mejju 2023