Azerbaijan Microfinance Association (AMFA) hosted its 7th Biennial Microfinance Conference „Innovative practices to reach financial inclusion: Learning from peers’ experiences”.
The objective of this year’s event was to share the best practice in the area of risk management and to create convenient atmosphere for exchanging ideas that would serve as an input for the advancement of microfinance industry in Azerbaijan. The conference allowed participants to network and establish new partnerships with investors, strategic stakeholders and technical service providers. It provided as well an excellent opportunity to share different microfinance experiences and to discuss how to improve the functioning of the sector in today’s difficult times.
The two-day event covered such topics as: Microfinance environment: Azerbaijan & global experience, Islamic Microfinance & Islamic Banking, Handling/managing client complaints and feedback of the financial service consumers, Energy Efficiency Issues in Microfinance, How can financial education help the poor take control of their lives, Housing Microfinance, Access to finance: The role of investors & financial inclusion landscape.
The conference was openend by Mrs. Jhale Hajiyeva, AMFA Executive Director, and was followed by speeches by Mr. Suleyman Kalashov, Chairman of AMFA, Mr. Ziyad Samedzade, Chairman of the Parliament Commission on Economic Affairs, Mr. Mammad Musayev, Chairman of the National Confederation of Enterpreneurs.
During the award ceremony, which took place on the first day of the conference, AMFA presented its membership “Member of the Year-2014” and “Practitioner of the Year-2014” Awards. Viator Microcredit was awarded with “ Member of the Year 2014 “Award and Mr. Suleyman Kalashov with “Practitioner of the year 2014” Award for their outstanding participation and incredible input towards industry cutting edge initiatives that contributed towards increasing visibility and credibility of Azerbaijan microfinance sector at the national, regional and global levelsAMFA disclosed criteria’s applied to evaluate and determine most proactive member organization as well as practitioner of the year.
Among the investors who attended the event were: Triple Jump, responsAbility, Finance in Motion, EBRD, INCOFIN, IFC, Credo Georgia, CGAP and Planet Rating.
Financial support for the conference was generously provided by member and partner organizations that are actively supporting microfinance sector development in the country: Pasha Bank, ADB, ResponsAbility, Triple Jump, Software Group, FINCA Azerbaijan LLC,VF Azercredit LLC, EFSE/ Finance-in Motion, KredAqro, Bank of Baku and Muganbank.