Peter McConaghy

A Canadian national, Peter McConaghy works as a Financial Sector Specialist at the World Bank Group. Peter leads technical assistance and investment lending projects aimed at developing inclusive and stable financial sectors across the Middle East and North Africa, with a particular focus on Morocco and Lebanon. Prior to joining the Bank, Peter worked as a Business Development Officer at the First MicroFinance Bank Tajikistan and was the lead researcher and contributing author on the New Microfinance Handbook (World Bank Publications, 2012). 

By Peter McConaghy

Research

Humanitarian Cash Transfers and Financial Inclusion

Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan receive more than one quarter of their humanitarian assistance in the form of cash and vouchers. Leveraging this aid delivery to connect refugees to the formal financial system requires the host country to have widespread digital financial ecosystem in place and coordination among governments, aid agencies, and financial service providers.
Blog

Vulnerable Groups in Lebanon Cite Health as Top Financial Challenge

A study of refugees and host communities in Lebanon points to a pressing need for financial solutions to help households manage health-related shocks.
Blog

Disaster Risk Insurance to Promote Resilience

A growing body of evidence suggests that disaster insurance makes low-income people more resilient to floods, earthquakes, and other disasters. What challenges must be overcome to make disaster insurance more widely available?
Research

The Role of Financial Services in Humanitarian Crises

While the nature and incidences of humanitarian crises vary significantly, they affect millions of people, particularly the most vulnerable. Based on a literature review, this paper shows how financial services can be an entry point to support FDPs.
Blog

Towards a More Enabling Legal Framework for Microfinance in Iraq

Four Iraqi MFIs, representing 15% of the market closed their doors in recent years due to conflict in the country. This left 20,000 clients with few other options, as Iraq's financial system remains underdeveloped.