Skopje, 10 September 2022

The need for greater access to finances is emphasized in conditions of macroeconomic and geopolitical turmoil which globally mostly affect women, youth, other vulnerable groups, micro and small enterprises and rural communities. The latest World Bank Findex research shows that globally, including in our country, the access to finance is eased. These issues were part of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion’s Global Forum which was held in Jordan. Within the forum, the Governor Anita Angelovska Bezhoska also attended the meeting for the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia and the Governors’ working meeting dedicated to women’s access to finance.  She also held a meeting with the Executive Director of the Alliance, Mr. Alfred Hannig, where they considered the possibilities to advance the cooperation, and held bilateral meetings with several Governors. 

At the meeting for the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Governor Angelovska Bezhoska shared the achievements and institutional priorities of National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia in financial inclusion. The Central Bank takes major steps to improve the financial inclusion and financial knowledge of the population in the country.  For that purpose, the National Bank, together with other financial regulators, adopted the first national Strategy for Financial Education and Financial Inclusion, which places our country among the first in the region with strategic preparedness for coordinated approach which are ready to meet the challenges that arise from the new opportunities for digital financial inclusion. Acting proactively, the central bank contributes to keeping pace with the digitalization, in times of new opportunities for greater financial inclusion and new challenges. Within the efforts, the National Bank takes number of activities for development of the National Fintech Strategy.  Higher level of financial education, inclusion and consumer protection in the field of bank services is one of the priorities of the central bank.

The National Bank’s efforts were recognized by the AFI, and at their invitation, as a representative of a central bank with significant improvement in terms of the financial education, the Governor Anita Angelovska Bezhoska handed out the Global Youth Financial Inclusion Award.  With this award, every year, AFI honors the member institutions and individual policy makers for their contribution and engagement for global improvement of the financial inclusion.

Under the theme: “Moving Forward Together: Towards a Resistant, Inclusive and Sustainable Future”, the international conference was aimed at calling the leaders of AFI members and partner institutions to open the perspective for open, strategic and thoughtful action, for a practical public-private cooperation to enhance the financial inclusion in times of macroeconomic and geopolitical turmoil.