Microfinance was introduced in Central Asia in the late 1990s. During the past two decades it has experienced a significant growth, become much more commercially oriented and in many ways integrated into the formal financial sector. Introduced as a tool for poverty reduction it increasingly becomes an instrument that allows commercial banks, NGOs, credit unions discover and enter a new, hitherto uncovered target group.

But microfinance sector in Central Asia is still very young, the policy framework is even younger. Authorities are trying to adopt legislation to make microfinance sector more attractive for foreign capital.

International institutions and organizations developed a collective mechanism and investment vehicles to streamline access to capital for MFIs. Another trend that gets increasingly more important is the process of transformation of MFIs into the financial institutions that are able to provide a versitile portfolio of products.

The Central Asian Microfinance Summit is designed to acquaint you with the latest developments and trends within the Central Asian market. The event will gather Western investors and developing organizations from one side and local MFIs and authorities from the other.

Join us in Bishkek as we are going to tackle these challenges and show you the new ways to effectively sustain and develop microfinance in Central Asia.