17 April 2013

World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings to highlight financial inclusion

Financial inclusion will once again be one of the main areas of focus during discussions at the Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the IMF this week in Washington DC.

On 17 April 2013, AFI members are slated to assume a leading role when the 5th Annual G24-AFI Policymakers’ Roundtable on Financial Inclusion occurs at the IMF headquarters.

AFI Steering Committee Chair and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. is scheduled to deliver the opening remarks.

The subsequent panel discussion on “Standard Setting Bodies and the Alliance for Financial Inclusion as platforms for peer learning on financial inclusion” will feature multiple AFI members that include Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP (SBS) del Peru Superintendent Daniel Schydlowsky, Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Njuguna Ndung’u, and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

Financial inclusion will also be featured during a meeting held in the Preston Auditorium at the World Bank’s main headquarters on 21 April 2013.

AFI Executive Director Alfred Hannig will participate in a panel discussion during the “Financial Access for All” session. The panel will also feature Deputy Finance Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey A. Storchak, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Director of Financial Services for the Poor Rodger Voorhies, National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) Governor John Rwangombwa and Indonesia Minister of Finance Agus Dermawan Wintarto Martowardojo.

The AFI Network is well represented at the Spring Meetings with 75 participants from 30 member nations. High-level representation includes;

  • 14 central bank governors (Congo, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Nigeria, Palestine, BCEAO, Philippines, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zambia)
  • 1 superintendent (Peru)
  • 1 finance minister (Colombia)
  • 3 deputy governors (Burundi, Philippines, and Sri Lanka)
  • Former Bank of Thailand (BOT) Governor and AFI Associate Dr. Tarisa Watanagase

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