SAM Conference

Conférence SAM

The motto of the SAM conference will be "One is not born, but rather becomes, resilient: Strengthening inclusive finance to overcome crises". The conference will take place on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 October (all day) and will be comprised of plenary and parallel sessions. Each session will be hosted by African and international experts.

READ THE SPEAKERS' BIOGRAPHIES

Tuesday, 19 October
Inclusive finance in the Covid19 crisis in Africa: lessons learned and strategies for resilience

Host: Charles Haba

9.00 - 9.15: Welcome remarks by the SAM organisers (Auditorium)

9.15 - 10.45: Plenary session 1 (Auditorium) (overview): Effects of current and future crises on vulnerable populations and their progress towards the SDGs in Africa: State of play and challenges for the inclusive finance sector 

  • Moderator:  Charles Haba
  • Speaker 1: Health status report: Dr. Brian Chirombo, WHO Country Representative, Rwanda 
  • Speaker 2: State of play of the economic plan: Aissa Toure Sarr, Country manager, Rwanda country office, African Development Bank
  • Speaker 3: Climate change update: Dr. Richard Munang, Africa Climate change regional coordinator, UNEP (virtual

10.45 - 11.15: Coffee break

11.15 - 11.45: Keynote 1 (plenary) (Auditorium): Structural transformation and resilience building: conceptual debates, scopes of action and actors' roles - Introduction of the three dimensions of resilience for inclusive finance:

  • Structural change and building resilience of the poor and of financial institutions
  • Digital infrastructure and building resilience: challenges and opportunities for inclusive finance
  • Building an inclusive and climate-resilient financial sector

Keynote speaker:  Renée Chao-Beroff, CEO of Pamiga-CIDR

11.45 - 12.30: Opening ceremony in the presence of state representatives (Auditorium)

  • Patrick Losch, President of ADA
  • Franz Fayot, Luxembourgish Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs
  • Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, Rwandan Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, MINECOFIN  

12.30 - 14.15: Lunch break

14.15 - 15.45: Parallel sessions:
- Session 1 (MH1 & MH2): Structural changes and resilience of the inclusive finance ecosystem in Africa: which roles for which actors?

  • Moderator:  Rafiou Bello, Fonds National de la Microfinance, Benin
  • Speaker 1: Eric Rwigamba (MINECOFIN)
  • Speaker 2:  Wango Fidèle Yameogo (Fonds national de la finance inclusive au Burkina Faso)
  • Speaker 3: Anne Contreras (Arendt)

- Session 2 (MH3 & MH4): Digital innovation for the resilience of inclusive finance institutions and clients in Africa: actors, strategies, collaboration and challenges

  • Moderator: Corine Riquet (CGAP)
  • Speaker 1:  Jean-Louis Perrier (Suricate Solutions)
  • Speaker 2: Ivan Ssettimba (AFI) 
  • Speaker 3: Olivier Mugabonake (ADfinance)
     

- Session 3 (Auditorium): Resilience of vulnerable populations to climate change: challenges and opportunities for inclusive finance actors

  • Moderator:  Hannes Gräf (YAPU solutions)
  • Speaker 1:  Isabelle Van Grunderbeeck (virtual) (EIB)
  • Speaker 2:  Johanna Nyman (virtual) (AFI) 
  • Speaker 3:  Mamadou Gueye (CAURIE Microfinance)
  • Speaker 4: Raphaël Agbanrin (Blue Orchard)
     

15.45 - 16.15: Coffee break

16.15 - 17.45: Parallel sessions:
- Session 4 (MH1 & MH2): MFIs and the Covid-19 crisis in Africa: survey results and lessons learned

  • Moderator:  Mathieu Soglonou (CIF-AO) 
  • Speaker 1:  Philippe Guichandut  (FGCA)
  • Speaker 2:  Edmund Higenbottam (Verdant Capital)
  • Speaker 3: Ben Wallingford (MFR)
  • Speaker 4: Tripti Singh (60db)


- Session 5 (MH3 & MH4): Digital solutions for financing agricultural value chains for the resilience of producers

  • Moderator: Hedwig Siewertsen (AGRA) 
  • Speaker 1:  Arnaud De Lavalette (ADA)
  • Speaker 2:  Francis Obirikorang (AgroCenta) 
  • Speaker 3:  Kimathi Githachuri (Seven Delta consulting)


- Session 6 (Auditorium): Inclusive finance and green economy: challenges for access to sustainable basic services 

  • Moderator: Natalia Realpe (HEDERA)
  • Speaker 1: Tezera Bekele (Peace, Ethiopie – IMF Hedera) 
  • Speaker 2: Diéry Sene (Fansoto, Sénégal - IMF Hedera)
  • Speaker 3: Olivier Deiters (Triple Jump) 
  • Speaker 4: Dario Fallara (Equatorial Power)

Wednesday, 20 October
Pathways to resilience, a favourable environment, digital transformation and climate change

 

8.45 - 9.00 : Synthesis day 1 and introduction Keynote speaker 2 (Auditorium)

  • Charles Haba, Host

9.00 - 9.30 : Plenary session 2 (Auditorium)

- Keynote 2 (plenary): Post-crisis reconstruction, reducing inequalities and strengthening the resilience of  women: which opportunities for inclusive finance?

  • Esther Dassanou, Manager Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA, African Development Bank Group) 

9.30 - 11.00: Parallel sessions:
- Session 7 (Auditorium): Financing the inclusive finance sector in times of crisis: what role for investors and donors in building sector resilience?

  • Moderator:  Gabriele Giulietti (Banca Etica)
  • Speaker 1: Olivier Edelman (EIB) (virtual)
  • Speaker 2: Yombo Odanou  (CECA –IMF Togo)
  • Speaker 3: Philippe Guichandut (FGCA)
  • Speaker 4: Dominique Lesaffre (SIDI)
  • Speaker 5: Carlos Kalambay Kabangu (FPM SA)


- Session 8 (MH3 & MH4): Supporting young entrepreneurs in times of crisis: risks and solutions

  • Moderator: Siyabonga Mbambo (Nyda)
  • Speaker 1:  Hannah Adams (Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator)
  • Speaker 2: Raissa Muyango (COPEDU Ltd)
  • Speaker 3: Fatoumata Niang Nox (Jokkolabs)
  • Speaker 4: Thiendou MBAYE, Cofina Mali


- Session 9 (MH1 & MH2): Ensuring resilience of food systems in Africa while ensuring financial inclusion in agriculture

  • Moderator: Soulemane Djobo (ADA)
  • Speaker 1: Dr Joseph Akumuntu (Chambre de commerce Rwanda)
  • Speaker 2: Thomas Essel, AFRACA
  • Speaker 3: Esther Njoroge (FMO)
  • Speaker 4: Matthew Genazzini (ADA)
  • Speaker 5: Christine Mukantwali, FAO (Tanzania)  

11.00 - 11.30: Coffee break

11.30 - 13.00: Parallel sessions:
- Session 10 (Auditorium): Insurance for strengthening the resilience of vulnerable African populations: overcoming obstacles

  • Moderator: Matthew Genazzini (ADA)
  • Speaker 1: Syed Mohsin (Pakistan Microfinance Network) – (virtual)
  • Speaker 2: Rogers Nwoke (Nigeria Microfinance Platform)
  • Speaker 3: Ovia Tuhairwe (Radiant)


- Session 11 (MH3 & MH4): Digitisation of the inclusive finance sector: risk or resilience factor?

  • Moderator:  Maria-Belen Effio (Microrate)
  • Speaker 1: Samke Mnguni: Digital Frontiers Institute
  • Speaker 2: Christian Kajeneri  (MTN Rwanda) 
  • Speaker 3: Valence Kimenyi (NBR)
  • Speaker 3: Noel Muhawenimana (UFC)
  • Speaker 4: Paul Mbugua (Eclectics)

 
- Session 12 (MH1 & MH2): Supporting climate-smart agricultural practices: challenges and solutions for the inclusive finance sector

  • Moderator: Emmanuele Santi (ABC Fund)
  • Speaker 1: Rasmane Ouedraogo (UBTEC)
  • Speaker 2: Kamal Yakub (TROTRO Ghana)
  • Speaker 3: George Petty (VentureSouth) 
  • Speaker 4: Jerry Diaz (Simusolar Tanzania)
     

13.00 - 14.30: Lunch break

14.30 - 16.00: Parallel sessions:
- Session 13 (Sharing experiences) (MH1 & MH2): Risk and human resource management and resilience of microfinance institutions

  • Moderator: Erik EKUE (consultant)
  • Speaker 1: Justin Jules Koutete (IMF Tchad – UCEC-MK)
  • Speaker 2: Esperat Tossa (MDB)
  • Speaker 3: Richard Kossi Amoussou (Risk management consultant) 
  • Speaker 4: Oricel Caminero (Resilience consultant)


- Session 14 (Sharing experiences) (Auditorium): Financial innovation to promote the resilience of refugee populations

  • Moderator: Livingstone Nkuusi  (Mastercard Foundation)
  • Speaker 1: Tamsin Scurfield (Opportunity International)
  • Speaker 2: Violette Cubier (FGCA) 
  • Speaker 3: Roselyne Uwamahoro, (UNCDF bureau Rwanda)
  • Speaker 4: John Rwirahira (Access to finance Rwanda)

- Session 15 (Sharing experiences) (MH3 & MH4): The role of cooperatives in strengthening their clients’ resilience 

  • Moderator:  René Azokly 
  • Speaker 1: Prof. Jean Bosco Harelimana (Rwanda Coopératives Agency)
  • Speaker 2:  M. Besong (Ministry of Finance) 
  • Speaker 3: Laurence Uwambaje (Umwalimu SACCO) 
  • Speaker 4: Jean-Claude Thetika (FPM ASBL)

16.00 - 16.30: Coffee break

16.30 - 17.00: Keynote 3 (plenary) (Auditorium): Stakeholder guidance for inclusive finance sector resilience and achieving the SDGs in Africa: the future agenda 

Keynote: Kimanthi Mutua (K-Rep Bank / ECLOF International)

17.00 - 17.45: General discussion following Keynote 3 (Auditorium)

  • Moderated by: Laura Foschi (ADA)
  • Speaker 1:  Paolo Lombardo - EIB East Africa Office 
  • Speaker 2: Ntoudi Mouyelo, Rwanda Finance Limited
  • Speaker 3: Bram van den Bosch - EMATA
     

17.45: Closing ceremony and acknowledgements (Auditorium)

  • Organisers of the SAM
English