AFI Interim Director of Financial Inclusion Policy Gabriel Davel was a featured speaker at the BNM-IFSB Financial Inclusion Advisers Programme and Seminar on Islamic Microfinance at the Sasana Kijang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 27 August. Davel delivered a presentation entitled “Building Blocks for Sustainable Financial Inclusion” on the opening day of this four-day event.

Additionally, on the opening day, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Development Finance and Enterprise Director Kamari Zaman provided an overview of the various steps BNM has taken to protect the SME sector’s access to finance.

The ongoing seminar covers financial inclusion as a national policy to support more equitable and broad-based economic growth, and to create a framework for an inclusive financial system encompassing institutional arrangements, critical support services and infrastructure. The event focuses on critical elements that contribute to a more inclusive financial sector such as financial outreach in terms of access to financial services, financial education and product diversification with services and products at prices that are sustainable and affordable, as well as recent developments in Islamic microfinance, current practices and innovations in the industry.

The seminar is hosted by BNM and the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) in collaboration with AFI and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP).