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The Game-Changing Potential of a Regulatory Sandbox: Why Creating a Safe Space for Digital Innovation Is a Necessity for Financial Inclusion in Bangladesh
While Bangladesh has made notable progress in accelerating financial inclusion, around 50% of Bangladeshis still remain unbanked. As Jakirul Islam at Bank Asia points out, this highlights a need for more technological disruption – and more regulatory innovation. He explores the potential of a “regulatory sandbox” approach, in which the government provides a safe harbor for businesses to test inventive new products, services and business models.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
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Bank Mitras in India: How Agents of Financial Inclusion Were Neglected During the Pandemic
The bank mitras continue to work without defined working provisions and under inadequate remuneration, observed the AIBEA in a letter addressed to the bankers’ body.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Analysis: Financial Inclusion Helps Youth Mitigate COVID-19 Impact
Recognizing this, financial regulators and policymakers should consider a series of factors when developing financial inclusion policies in the context of COVID-19 and beyond.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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Press Release: Africa Minigrid Benchmarking Report Launched
New data confirms distributed energy minigrids most reliable, affordable option for African governments seeking effective rural electrification and improved livelihoods, but lengthy and unpredictable approvals stymie growth.
- Categories
- Energy, Environment
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Standard Chartered & Airtel Africa Partner to Drive Financial Inclusion Across Africa
Standard Chartered Bank has announced that the bank has entered into a strategic collaboration with Airtel Africa to drive financial inclusion across key markets in Africa by providing customers with increased access to mobile financial services.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Why Mobile Money Growth Remains Stunted in Nigeria
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) published the Financial Inclusion Strategy (FIS) setting financial inclusion target of 80 percent realisation this year. Due to challenges within the system, the apex bank revised it last year to 95 percent by 2024. Mobile money, a veritable tool for achieving this ambitious goal, remains in the limbo because of certain factors.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The UN Development Goals Are ‘Seriously off Track,’ an Expert Says
Reducing inequality within and among countries is a Sustainable Development Goal that is not progressing, as evidenced in demonstrations that erupted in many parts of the United States and abroad this year.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Education, Impact Assessment
- Tags
- financial inclusion, SDGs
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Avoiding Another Crash: How Global Standards Set after the 2008 Crisis Prepared the Financial System to Weather COVID-19
International standard-setting bodies have been working to strengthen global financial stability ever since the 2008 crisis. And according to Robin Newnham at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, they are now playing vitally important roles in the global response to COVID-19. He explores how the global financial system is seeing the benefits of the reforms of the past decade – and how these efforts can expand in the future.
- Categories
- Coronavirus, Finance
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