Rio, January 16, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) intends to resume its outlays for the area of microcredit, and, to this end, it is discussing the matter with the agencies through which it distributes its resources.

According to the vice-president of the Bank, Darc Costa, the big problem is the interest rate. "We believe that for microcredit the interest rate has to be low. We think that seekers of microcredit must receive resources at an interest rate compatible with an activity that cannot be regarded as predatory," he affirmed.

Costa assured that the BNDES is "profoundly interested" in restoring microcredit. "We are asking our agents to establish interest rates compatible with the social nature of the program." (DAS)