2019
AFI Awards

2019
AFI Awards

AFI Awards

In celebration of its members’ commitment to financial inclusion, AFI hosts a special annual awards evening during its flagship Global Policy Forum (GPF). AFI Awards are given to institutions and individuals who have excelled in advancing financial inclusion over the past year, both globally and in their respective countries. Nominees have demonstrated strong leadership, supported peer learning services and stood up in support of AFI’s global advocacy for financial inclusion.

2019 AFI Award Winners

The Technical Leadership Award recognizes technical staff from AFI member institutions who have been most active in providing peer reviews and leading Working Groups and Regional Initiatives. They have also shown leadership in providing content development, speaking at various global forums, writing blogs on AFI and financial inclusion and providing guidance on AFI’s policy development to the rest of the network.

The winner for this award is: Nangi Massawee, Bank of Tanzania

This award is presented to experts under 40 years old who have made a substantial contribution to the AFI working groups and regional initiatives. Young technical staff help to keep our institutions modern, relevant and sustainable over the long term.

The winners for this award:

Akata Taito, Reserve Bank of Fiji
German San Lorenzo, Banco Central de la República Argentina
Carla Fernandes, Banco de Moçambique
Samuel Weng Yew Lee, Bank Negara Malaysia
Jahongir Aminjonov, National Bank of Tajikistan
Marwa Ali Elhosary, Central Bank of Egypt


The Technical Leadership Award recognizes an individual from a member institution who has provided outstanding technical expertise and leadership in AFI working groups, regional initiatives and at AFI events. Through their vision and contributions, this individual has helped to communicate AFI’s values by participating in the most outreach activities, from speaking at global forums to developing knowledge products to writing blogs and op-eds, to being active on social media.

The winner for this award is: Nadezhda Prasolova, Central Bank of the Russian Federation


As a policy leadership alliance, AFI aims to elevate the voices of its members to set the global financial inclusion agenda and draw attention to the policy implementation challenges that require global support. This award recognizes members who have represented AFI on various global platforms and raised the AFI flag as a global advocate for financial inclusion.

This year, we recognize members who have stood up loud and proud on the global stage for AFI and its latest workstream, Inclusive Green Finance. These members have been the most influential and engaged AFI member institutions by championing Inclusive Green Finance within AFI while also representing AFI’s voice on different platforms, upholding and supporting AFI in the global advocacy for Inclusive Green Finance. The winners of this award are:

Banco Central del Paraguay
Bangladesh Bank
Reserve Bank of Fiji
Central Bank of Armenia

A special token of appreciation, a medallion, was given to the institutions that have taken on the invaluable task of hosting an AFI event between the 2018 AFI GPF and 2019 AFI GPF.

Central Bank of the Russian Federation
Bank Negara Malaysia
Bank of Tanzania
Reserve Bank of Fiji
Bank Al-Maghrib
Banco Central de Timor-Leste
Ministry of Economy and Finance, Cote d’Ivoire
Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO)
Central Bank of Egypt
The Central Bank of the Bahamas
Bank of Zambia
Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP del Perú
Central Bank of Republic of Armenia
Central Bank of Solomon Islands
National Bank of the Republic of Belarus
Banco Central de la República Argentina
Banco de Portugal


AFI recognized the seven member institutions that convened in Belarus in June 2019 for the first formal High-Level Policy Forum of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Policy Initiative (ECAPI).

National Bank of the Republic of Belarus
Central Bank of Armenia
National Bank of Kazakhstan
Financial Regulatory Commission of Mongolia
Central Bank of the Russian Federation
National Bank of Tajikistan
Central Bank of Uzbekistan

Launched at the 2011 GPF in Riviera Maya, Mexico, the Maya Declaration represents the world’s first commitment platform for financial inclusion. A public commitment to the Maya Declaration is a way for AFI members to champion financial inclusion and contribute to several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Maya Declaration Award recognizes an AFI member institution that has clearly defined and measurable financial inclusion targets and has demonstrated the most dedication in the network to reporting its targets, timelines and progress on the AFI Data Portal.

The winner for this award is: Bank of Zambia


The AFI Peer Leadership Award – the highlight of the evening – recognizes leaders who have propelled peer learning in the network and provided policy guidance through the peer learning process, such as joint learning programs, knowledge exchanges and global and regional initiatives.

The winner for this award is: Central Bank of Egypt

Special recognition

We awarded a special token of appreciation - an AFI medallion - to all AFI member institutions and some partners that hosted AFI events between GPF 2017 and GPF 2018, including those that organized events to commemorate AFI’s 10th anniversary. The recipients are:

Banco Central do Brasil and Banco Central de Portugal
Bank Negara Malaysia
Bangladesh bank
Central Bank of Jordan
Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores de México – CNBV
Superintendencia General de Entidades Financieras de Costa Rica – SUGEF
Central Bank of Armenia
Central Bank of Nigeria
National Bank of Cambodia
Banque Centrale de la République de Guinée
Bank of Ghana
Central Bank of Samoa
National Bank of Tajikistan
Central Bank of Egypt

© Alliance for Financial Inclusion 2009-2024