Banco del Austro S.A. is a private bank headquartered in Cuenca, Ecuador, that provides a full line of financial services to its clients. Banco del Austro S.A. is part of Grupo Eljuri’s financial division. The purpose of the IIC project is to support the bank’s lending activities and partially fund the growth of its SME portfolio in Ecuador. The IIC’s US$2 million loan will enable Banco del Austro to expand its medium-term funding.<P>