Three Latin American lenders are granting US$9.3 billion in emergency aid to help Latin American countries ease cash supply problems amid the global credit crisis.

The Washington-based Inter-American Development Bank says it will supply US$6 billion, while the Bogota-based Latin American Reserves Fund will supply US$1.8 billion and the Caracas-based Andean Development Corporation, US$1.5 billion.

Double the amounts

The lenders say those amounts could nearly double next year.

The Inter-American Development bank says it had not expected Latin American countries, many of which are in a stronger fiscal position than the United States, would need the aid.

- AP