2026 SADC Financial Inclusion Forum - Day 1

Commemorating 10 Years of Regional Financial Inclusion The 2026 SADC Financial Inclusion Forum marks a decade of regional financial inclusion progress, bringing together policymakers, regulators, and financial sector leaders from across Southern Africa. Day 1 opens with a keynote address on deepening financial inclusion to accelerate regional integration and industrialisation in SADC, with a focus on MSME opportunities, cross-border trade. Sessions cover a review of financial inclusion trends across SADC — including gaps affecting rural populations and women — followed by a panel discussion on the governance and coordination of the SADC Financial Inclusion and SME Access Strategy 2023–2028. The afternoon features an overview of South Africa's Payments Ecosystem Modernisation (PEM) programme and its implications for fintechs and non-bank providers, and closes with Member State updates on progress in digital payments, cross-border remittances, MSME finance, consumer protection, and financial literacy. South African Reserve Bank, Pretoria 🗓️ 5 May 2026 🌐 www.finmark.org.za/SADC_FI_Forum/