Conference on

Deepening Financial Sector Reforms and
Regional Cooperation in South Asia

Delhi, India

On the backdrop of the financial crisis, the financial markets in developing countries and emerging markets have experienced rapidly changing environment over the recent period. In order to bring together the principal stakeholders from South Asia to a single platform to focus on issues of financial sector reform and regional integration, the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), -a Delhi based research organization and InWEnt - Capacity Building International, Germany organized a conference on "Deepening Financial Sector Reforms and Regional Cooperation in South Asia" on November 6-7, 2008.

The conference focused on financial sector issues with particular reference to regional integration. It was a great platform to bring together central bankers, policy makers and financial practitioners from SAARC region with selected representatives from international organizations and academia. Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Governor, Bangladesh Bank, Mr. K.P. Krishnan, MoF, India, Salman Shah, Former Finance Minister of Pakistan, Joshua Felman, Senior Resident Representative in India, IMF, W.A. Wijewardena, Deputy Governor, Central Bank, Sri Lanka and many other high level delegates presented their valuable views at the conference.

As an expert in the field of microfinance, Professor H.I.Latifee was invited at this conference to speak on "Financial Inclusion - The Experience of Grameen Bank". In his speech Professor Latifee focused on the need and importance of microcredit, the emergence of Grameen Bank and the necessity of developing an inclusive financial system. He emphasized on the view that the problems such as poverty, hunger, disease, unemployment etc. will never be solved unless people are really aware of the harmful sides of social and financial exclusion. He stressed on developing a sustainable as well as inclusive financial system, which should be accessible to all and immune to any kind of crisis.

The conference focused on financial sector issues with particular reference to regional integration. It was a great platform to bring together central bankers, policy makers and financial practitioners from SAARC region with selected representatives from international organizations and academia.