Gearing up for the 2018 Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum (GPF), more than 230 participants from the AFI network gathered in Sochi today for Working Group Meetings. Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) Leaders met to discuss the launch of the EECA Regional Initiative later in the week. Governor of Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina, and AFI Executive Director, Dr. Alfred Hannig, addressed Russian and international media ahead of the 10th GPF, while the Gender and Women’s Financial Inclusion Committee (GWFIC) held its 9th meeting. Over 450 AFI members and partners celebrated winners at the 2018 AFI Awards Night.

Leaders from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) met to discuss issues of common interest and agree on priorities for the next year. Governor of Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina, co-host of the GPF, highlighted Russia’s priorities related to financial inclusion. AFI’s newest member, Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan, also attended the meeting along with the national banks of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Financial Regulatory Commission of Mongolia.

At today’s news conference, Governor Nabiullina and Dr. Hannig highlighted the Sochi Accord on FinTech for Financial Inclusion, which aims to improve financial inclusion and strengthen market conduct and consumer protection. Watch a livestream of the press conference on Facebook or YouTube.

The AFI Gender and Women’s Financial Inclusion Committee (GWFIC) held discussions with AFI partners, Data 2x and GSMA, on next steps needed to increase the collection of sex-disaggregated data and leverage the potential of digital financial services to close the gender gap. National Bank of Rwanda reported on its progress in promoting gender diversity and women’s leadership within the central bank. AFI shared a draft toolkit for communicating women’s financial inclusion and piloting training on sex-disaggregated data in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific, where AFI members are supported with practical tools to close the financial inclusion gender gap in their countries.

The 2018 AFI Awards Night celebrated members who have made an outstanding contribution to the AFI network over the past year. Since 2013, AFI has devoted a special evening at the Global Policy Forum (GPF) to honoring those whose participation and contribution to the AFI network sets them apart. This tradition continues at the 2018 AFI Awards ceremony in Sochi, where we recognize member institutions and individuals who have excelled in enhancing financial inclusion over the past year, both globally and in their respective countries.

AFI Awards are given to members who have consistently contributed to the wealth of financial inclusion knowledge in the network and advanced peer learning. The nominees have demonstrated strong leadership, supported peer learning services and stood up in support of AFI’s global advocacy for financial inclusion. View the list of winners of the 2018 AFI Awards.

Watch the livestream of the press conference on Facebook and YouTube.