In October 2013, the first EIB Rural Impulse Fund (RIF II) Symposium in Africa was held in Mombasa, Kenya. The purpose of the Symposium was to encourage capacity building and peer-to-peer learning for microfinance practitioners coming from the African, Caribbean and ACP countries.
The Symposium was organised under the Technical Assistance Facility for the RIF II and focused on institutions that had received technical assistance funded by the EIB. The Symposium brought together more than 50 participants from 17 different countries, including representatives from financial institutions, investors, donors and consultants.
We are pleased to present the results of the discussions in order to share some of the insights gained during the course of the Symposium with microfinance practitioners and other stakeholders in responsible inclusive finance. The Symposium demonstrated that there are no easy solutions to foster financial inclusion, but that significant interesting experience has been built up amongst several institutions. Knowledge sharing, particularly peer-to-peer
exchange, is a powerful tool from which to draw lessons that can guide future strategic responses in the microfinance sector.
