Microfinance Policy and Strategy for the Bank Group

This Policy and Strategy on Microfinance aims to guide African Development Bank (the Bank) Group in supporting Regional Member Countries (RMCs) to develop microfinance and mainstream it into their formal financial and private sectors. It capitalizes on the lessons learned by the Bank and its development partners about appropriate approaches to microfinance.

The Bank adopted a vision to provide quality assistance to its RMCs in poverty alleviation, in response to the international communitys need to address development effectiveness. The Microfinance Policy and Strategy for the Bank Group aims to:

• Provide strategic direction to the Bank as it extends its support to its RMCs to build inclusive financial systems;
• Help the Bank to focus its microfinance activities in order to achieve the greatest impact within the shortest period of time;
• Clarify the Bank's support to RMCs in building inclusive financial systems.

The policy focuses on the three institutional levels of financial systems development, namely the micro level, where the Bank seeks to promote strong retail institutions; the meso level, where the Bank seeks to support industry infrastructure; and the macro level, where the Bank seeks to foster a conducive enabling environment and assure an appropriate role for RMC governments.