On 28 April, more than 100 high-level policymakers and practitioners met at the German Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) Headquarters in Berlin to launch the Deauville Partnership Action Plan for Financial Inclusion, the first step of a coordinated effort across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to pursue lasting and inclusive economic growth. The Action Plan was the outcome of a one-day conference hosted by the BMF and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in collaboration with the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI). The conference was part of the G7 Deauville Partnership and focused on the unique challenges and opportunities for financial inclusion in MENA.

The objective of the Deauville Partnership Action Plan for Financial Inclusion is to support Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen in comprehensive reforms to bring more of their citizens into the formal financial system and drive sustainable economic growth. The Plan is in line with Germany’s priority for the G7 Presidency, which is to foster sustainable and inclusive growth and job creation in the region through financial inclusion, financial literacy and responsible finance.

Steffen Kampeter, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF), and Thomas Silberhorn, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), delivered the opening remarks of the conference. This was followed by three technical sessions on digital financial services, responsible finance and SME finance, and finally a wrap-up session that discussed the future work of the Deauville Partnership.