AFI’s Financial Inclusion Data Working Group (FIDWG) has held a successful four-day meeting in Roatan, Honduras.

“During this era of rapid innovation, and the emergence of new tools such as AI and other technologies, data is increasingly being considered as new oil by policymakers and regulators. Consequently, data is also our brick and mortar for making well-informed policy decisions. At AFI, our strength lies in the exchange of knowledge and practical experiences, enabling us to effectively harness and build on this new-found wealth,” said FIDWG Chair, Maria Musombo Katepa, from Bank of Zambia.

“Data has a fundamental role in establishing a common understanding of the current state of financial inclusion,” said Luis Trevino, AFI Senior Policy Manager. “This week we’ve learnt how new approaches, both in terms of policy and data collection, are benefiting financial inclusion, notably in relation to youth, women and small businesses. These exchanges provide fresh impetus to our Group by reminding us both of the critical importance and the tangible impact of our work.”

37 Working Group members from 34 institutions participated in the session, which was co-hosted by the National Commission of Banks and Insurance of Honduras. Five members received recognition awards:

• Subgroup Deliverable Champion. Dr. Settor Amediku of Bank of Ghana, for his commitment to ensuring the development of the Gender Inclusive Finance Policy Model, and for his leadership role across the subgroups.
• Peer Reviewer. William Medardo Rodríguez Rosales, Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador, for providing outstanding peer review support with detailed considerations.
• Dissemination of Knowledge Products. Mynard B. Mojica of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, for actively disseminating and using AFI knowledge products within his institution, other organizations and in social media.
• In-Country Implementation (ICI). Layanah Wreikat, JoPACC, for providing detailed support to ICI project requests from member organizations.
• Most Active New Member. Dr Fredy Antonio Vides Romero, Comisión Nacional de Bancos y Seguros Honduras, for actively supporting new thematic areas and AFI events.

FIDWG subgroups will be working on a range of data-related topics over the next few months before reconvening at the AFI Global Policy Forum in September. You can learn more about the work of the Working Group on its homepage.