More than 20 high-level representatives, led by over 10 Governors and Deputy Governors from emerging economies, will be attending the Joint Learning Program (JLP), Building an Inclusive MSME Financing Ecosystem hosted by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in collaboration with Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) from 9-13 April, 2018 in Kuala Lumpur.

Gathering representatives from over 13 countries, this high-level JLP is designed for heads of institutions from the AFI network who have a critical role in the implementation of their MSME policies.

Perceived as risk-prone and expensive to service, access to finance is a key challenge for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) globally. Therefore, it is critical for financial regulators to support MSMEs in finding ways to circumvent these challenges. This JLP will delve into the various aspects of building a robust MSME financing ecosystem.

SMEs are a critical component of growth in the Malaysian economy. In 2016, SMEs contributed to 36.1 percent of the country’s GDP. This has been possible because of the collaborative efforts of diverse stakeholders who have worked together to make the ecosystem robust.

The SME Masterplan 2012-2020 of Malaysia identifies six High Impact Programs (HIPs) to accelerate growth of SMEs — SME finance being one of them. Malaysia has a comprehensive financing support for the development of SMEs at all stages of the business life-cycle. This JLP will showcase the success story of Malaysia and highlight the key players of the master plan.

At the end of the JLP, participants will be able to identify the components and functioning of an effective ecosystem that ensures balanced demand and supply; assesses risks, addresses challenges; and adopts effective MSME financing options that contribute to comprehensive MSME development.