The Sanabel’s 5th Annual Conference, “Advancing Arab Microfinance: Greater Social Impact through Inclusive Financial Services”, was held in Gammarth, Tunisia May 6th – 8th, 2008.  This year’s conference was the largest ever attended by over 550 participants and featuring 65 speakers from the region and from around the globe.  As the largest gathering microfinance gathering in the Arab world, Sanabel’s conferences present a unique networking opportunity.  This year’s conference attracted a substantially increased number of participants from the international financial sector as well as regulators and government officials from the Arab region.  Their presence demonstrates both the interest and growing strength of microfinance in the region.

Conference sessions were organized in four tracks including Social Performance Management, New Production, Financing and Operations/Technology.  Industry leaders and practitioners engaged in lively discussions on a range topics including how to effectively train and retain top staff, the importance of consumer protection, how to introduce new products such as microinsurance, housing and agricultural loans and the experience with credit bureaus in the region. In addition to panels, peer learning and training sessions, Sanabel’s annual conference was the venue for the founding meeting of the Middle East Chapter of Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM).   Many conference participants also attended the EIB conference “Microfinance in the Mediterranean: What is the Impact?” on May 5th, visited Enda Inter-Arabe branch offices and participated in a structured financial networking event which matched MFIs with potential investors.

During the opening ceremony of the conference, awards were given to the best micro-entrepreneurs in the Arab region, who had the opportunity to promote and sell their products at the conference’s very own souk (market). On the other hand, the closing ceremony witnessed the honoring of 11 members who made it to the 2007 MIX Global 100: Rankings of MFIs.

Support for the conference was provided by AGFund, PROPARCO, Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes français, KfW, IFC, Oikocredit, and Enda Inter-Arabe.