The 2010 AFI Global Policy Forum, co-hosted by Bank Indonesia, brought together nearly 60 member institutions from 44 countries joined by 35 strategic partners for 3 days of focused discussion on innovative financial inclusion policy. The theme, “Taking financial inclusion to the next level,” was aptly chosen, since the Forum covered a range of topics with discussions and presentations conducted by many high level people and prominent experts. These included figures such as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia who delivered a groundbreaking opening speech, and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands.
Topics discussed ranged from the role for regulators in national leadership and strategy, to practical advice on how to implement specific policy solutions. The dialogue on mobile phone financial services advanced from ‘should we do it’ in 2009 to ‘how to do it’ in 2010. Other key policy issues covered included consumer protection and formalizing microsavings, both of which ranked high in the GPF participant feedback . According to AFI Executive Director, Alfred Hannig, the knowledge exchange sessions were especially impactful as they demonstrated how AFI members are inspiring each other by demonstrating policy solutions that work.
The results from the GPF, summarized in the report, set the stage for AFI’s main workplan and priorities in 2011. AFI working groups benefitted from the inputs of the entire network during the GPF and will take forward recommendations during the course of 2011.
The two previous GPFs have led to significant progress for financial inclusion knowledge sharing, and the upcoming 2011 GPF in Mexico will be an opportunity to see how some of the ideas discussed at the GPF in Bali have been put into action.
AFI member organizations should save the date for the 2011 GPF in Riviera Maya, Mexico from September 28-30. The event will be co-hosted by the Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) and Superintendencia de Banca Seguros y AFP (SBS) del Peru. Further information is forthcoming.