MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

It is my honor to present the 2019 Annual Report of the work and achievements of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) as Chair of the Board of Directors, a role that I am humbled to take on since September 2019.

I am proud to belong to a network of financial regulators and policymakers that has demonstrated such strong resolve and commitment over the past 11 years. Collectively, the AFI network has implemented 682 policy and regulatory changes in 79 developing and emerging economies, which has increased access and usage of quality financial services for millions of people. As a global policy leadership alliance, we are well positioned to continue our cooperation and address persistent issues of financial exclusion, especially for those who are disproportionately excluded and in the “last mile”.

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Collectively, the AFI network has implemented 682 policy and regulatory changes in 79 developing and emerging economies.

In 2019, we continued to see members supporting the mission and strategic direction of the AFI network, especially by issuing policy and regulatory guidance and providing in-country support for members to implement financial inclusion policies. At the 2019 Annual General Meeting, the AFI Membership Council approved two Financial Inclusion Policy Models for member adoption: one on e-money and another on the AFI Core Set of Financial Inclusion Indicators. I wish to acknowledge the excellent oversight provided by the Global Standards and Policy Committee and commend the efforts of AFI’s Working Groups to codify good practices that members can reference at various stages of policy development.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my predecessor, Governor Fazle Kabir of Bangladesh Bank, for his laudable role as AFI Board Chair. I would also like to recognize the wisdom and guidance provided by former Board members representing Superintendencia General de Entidades Financieras (SUGEF) Costa Rica, Bank of Ghana, Central Bank of the Russian Federation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with whom I was privileged to work alongside in the governance of AFI. I welcome our new colleagues to the AFI Board of Directors from the Central Bank of Armenia, Central Bank of Kenya, Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores (CNBV) Mexico, Nepal Rastra Bank, Banco Central del Paraguay and the French Development Agency – Agence Française de Développement (AFD), whose contributions will continue to strengthen the work of the AFI Board. I would also like to commend the Chairs and members of Board Committees and the AFI Management Unit who have provided excellent support in the oversight function of the Board.

As we move into 2020, I encourage all members to accelerate our work by creating more opportunities for peer learning and forming strategic partnerships. This will allow us to take the AFI network to the next level of global policy leadership in financial inclusion, while also empowering members to make impactful policy and regulatory changes at national and regional levels. With our strong resolve and effective collaboration, we will address the challenges ahead of us and sustain the financial inclusion gains that have already been achieved.

Tarek Amer

Governor, Central Bank of Egypt Chair, AFI Board of Directors