Events 

Banking Agents:  Building and maintaining bank branches can be very expensive. At this CGAP lunchtime event in Washington DC on 22 July, Ignacio Mas will talk about how networks of agents can be used to optimize access for poor clients.

Technology Forum 2008:  The third Technology Forum was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon July 1 and 2, 2008.

Gender Workshop:  CGAP co-hosted a workshop on Finance and Gender with Women's World Banking and the World Bank Group's Gender Action Plan.

Announcements 

Code of Ethics to be established in Microfinance:  At the initiative of CGAP, Deutsche Bank and The Boulder Institute, leaders of microfinance institutions, investors, banks and development agencies have developed the Pocantico Declaration, the first step toward a code of conduct for microfinance.

Funder Training Registration:  The next CGAP/MFMI training course for funders, "Building Inclusive Financial Systems: How Can Funders Make a Difference?", will be held in Croatia, September 8-12, 2008.

Over-indebtedness Workshop:  CGAP convened a group of industry experts to look at client over-indebtedness issues. What exactly do we mean by over-indebtedness? What does existing research tell us?

Latest Publications

Banking through Networks of Retail Agents:  This Focus Note looks at banking through networks of retail agents. It addresses the idea that, to achieve universal access, banks will need to adapt their systems to a low-value, high-volume transactional environment and to build more flexible, scalable retail networks of points of service.

Transforming NGO MFIs:  As sustainable microfinance business models mature, many nonprofit microfinance institutions (NGO MFIs) are considering transforming into for-profit institutions. This Occasional Paper provides insight and guidance on the various ownership-related issues that an NGO MFI may face when transforming into a for-profit institution.

Microinsurance: What Can Donors Do?:  Microinsurance is growing increasingly popular among donors as a way to help poor people manage risks and reduce their vulnerability. This Brief addresses how donors can support microinsurance efforts.

Linking Financial Service Providers to Commercial Capital:  This Brief addresses guarantees used by microfinance institutions as funding instruments. It is based on a joint CGAP/USAID study of 96 transactions executed by eight guarantor agencies between 1988 and 2005, with most transactions made after 2000.