Namibia hosts global forum on financial inclusion
BoN partners with AFI to advance financial access
This year's event brings together participants from 64 countries, including 20 central bank governors with a focus on ensuring no one is left behind.
Close to 800 delegates are expected to participate in the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum (GPF) 2025, which is set to convene in Swakopmund this week under the theme 'Empowering Society, Enabling Growth'.
Hosted for the first time in Namibia, this year’s event brings together participants from 64 countries, including 20 central bank governors, for four days of technical sessions, workshops and plenary discussions.
During a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Dougal Thomson, head of communication and media relations at the AFI, explained that the organisation is a global network of 90 central banks and financial regulators.
Established in 2008, the AFI provides a platform for its members to exchange ideas and experiences aimed at advancing financial inclusion.
“Despite significant progress over the past decade, recent World Bank FINDEX data shows that 1.3 billion adults remain financially excluded," Thomson said.
"AFI is committed to ensuring that no one is left behind regardless of age, gender, income level, or circumstance. Through forums like this, countries can learn from each other, design effective policies, and implement solutions that work.”
Thomson noted that the AFI Global Policy Forum rotates annually across different regions.
Last year El Salvador hosted, and the year before it was hosted in the Philippines.
"This year it is Africa’s turn – the sixth time the forum has been held in Africa, and the third in Southern Africa (previously in Cape Town and Maputo)," he said.
"Africa has been a hub of innovation in financial inclusion, particularly in digital financial services and mobile money, which makes this region a particularly meaningful location for the forum," Thomson added.
Consumer protection
He further highlighted that the event will focus on key issues such as leveraging digital technologies for financial inclusion while safeguarding against cyber risks, strengthening consumer protection in the digital age, and promoting gender-inclusive finance to ensure women have equal access to financial services.
“How can we take advantage of innovative new digital technologies?" is a key topic this year, he said.
"At the same time, how can we protect people? On one hand, it’s great to have digital financial services and access to e-lending and things like that, but it also makes people vulnerable. It’s a big priority for our members. How do you keep people safe? How do you protect them from cyber risks? It’s really important for consumer protection.
Moreover, the AFI network spends a lot of time looking at gender-inclusive finance "because we’re conscious that while, worldwide, the gap between the number of men and women accessing financial services has narrowed, it still exists. In some countries, it’s actually very large. That is a big focus and priority for AFI members to work on bringing women fully into financial services," Thomson noted.
Hosted for the first time in Namibia, this year’s event brings together participants from 64 countries, including 20 central bank governors, for four days of technical sessions, workshops and plenary discussions.
During a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Dougal Thomson, head of communication and media relations at the AFI, explained that the organisation is a global network of 90 central banks and financial regulators.
Established in 2008, the AFI provides a platform for its members to exchange ideas and experiences aimed at advancing financial inclusion.
“Despite significant progress over the past decade, recent World Bank FINDEX data shows that 1.3 billion adults remain financially excluded," Thomson said.
"AFI is committed to ensuring that no one is left behind regardless of age, gender, income level, or circumstance. Through forums like this, countries can learn from each other, design effective policies, and implement solutions that work.”
Thomson noted that the AFI Global Policy Forum rotates annually across different regions.
Last year El Salvador hosted, and the year before it was hosted in the Philippines.
"This year it is Africa’s turn – the sixth time the forum has been held in Africa, and the third in Southern Africa (previously in Cape Town and Maputo)," he said.
"Africa has been a hub of innovation in financial inclusion, particularly in digital financial services and mobile money, which makes this region a particularly meaningful location for the forum," Thomson added.
Consumer protection
He further highlighted that the event will focus on key issues such as leveraging digital technologies for financial inclusion while safeguarding against cyber risks, strengthening consumer protection in the digital age, and promoting gender-inclusive finance to ensure women have equal access to financial services.
“How can we take advantage of innovative new digital technologies?" is a key topic this year, he said.
"At the same time, how can we protect people? On one hand, it’s great to have digital financial services and access to e-lending and things like that, but it also makes people vulnerable. It’s a big priority for our members. How do you keep people safe? How do you protect them from cyber risks? It’s really important for consumer protection.
Moreover, the AFI network spends a lot of time looking at gender-inclusive finance "because we’re conscious that while, worldwide, the gap between the number of men and women accessing financial services has narrowed, it still exists. In some countries, it’s actually very large. That is a big focus and priority for AFI members to work on bringing women fully into financial services," Thomson noted.
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