From 20 to 23 May, AFI’s Financial Inclusion Strategy (FIS), Global Standards and Proportionality (GSP) and Digital Financial Services (DFS) Working Groups are meeting in Ezulwini, Eswatini. Co-hosted by the Central Bank of Eswatini and the Ministry of Finance, the event will be attended by over 160 participants from 47 countries.

“It is my utmost pleasure to welcome you all… to the Kingdom of Eswatini,” said the country’s Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg. “This is a pivotal gathering for advancing financial inclusion around the globe [and] your presence here today signifies a shared commitment to addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in our collective pursuit of inclusive financial systems.”

“Our working groups’ policy guidance, knowledge products, and collaboration with global standard-setting bodies are advancing inclusive finance worldwide,” added AFI’s Director of Policy Programs and Implementation, Eliki Boletawa. “This week let’s go beyond attending meetings – let’s be architects of progress! Together, we can refine these groups into even sharper instruments for change, accelerating financial inclusion and transforming countless lives across the world.”

AFI’s FIS Peer Learning Group supports the development, implementation and monitoring of national financial inclusion strategies – frameworks aimed at accelerating a country’s level of financial inclusion – through expert guidance and peer-learning.

The GSPWG guides policymakers in implementing global standards for financial stability and integrity that are conducive to financial inclusion. Members also exchange information on the opportunities and risks associated with new technologies like virtual assets and digital identity tools.

DFS – AFI’s biggest working group – provides a platform for policymakers to discuss the risks and regulation associated with digital financial services – promoting it as a major driver of financial inclusion.

On the fourth and final day of the event, members will have the chance to visit local businesses in Eswatini to learn more about the impact of financially inclusive policies on people’s lives.