Partnerships that Build Bridged to New Frontiers, 18th Microcredit Summit, Abu Dhabi UAE, March 14-17, 2016

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Partnerships that
Build Bridges to New
Frontiers
Sacha Polverini – Senior Programme Officer
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

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Poor people
actively use a
digital account to
access at least
one financial
service beyond
payments (credit,
savings,
insurance)
Intervention areas Outcomes Impact
Fewer people
fall into
poverty
More people
move out of
poverty faster
More people
move out of
poverty faster
Optimize Digital Financial
Infrastructure for Poor
People
Drive Digital Financial
Services for Impact
Foster Regulations & Policy
Empower low-income
women economically
Financial Services for the Poor

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“If you want to go fast, go
alone. If you want to go far,
go together”
African proverb

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Partnerships are essential to implement the
foundation’s financial inclusion strategy ….
… to create and maintain momentum at global level
… to promote innovation in the marketplace
… to build a Digital Financial Services Ecosystem for
the poor

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Examples of Partnerships
• Alliance for Financial Inclusion
• The Level 1 Project
• Better Than Cash Alliance
• ITU Focus Group on Digital Financial Services
• M-Kopa
• M-Shwari
• Telco Interoperability in Tanzania

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The ITU Focus Group on
Digital Financial Services for The Poor
• More than 100 organisations involved
• 30 countries represented
• A successful example of public/private
partnership

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The ITU Focus Group on DFS
OBJECTIVES
• Promote dialogue between Financial/Telco regulators
• Raise awareness re role DFS to promote Financial
Inclusion
• Clarify regulators roles and responsibilities in DFS
• Provide recommendations on selected policy and
regulatory issues