The World Bank and the BCEAO (central bank for the WAEMU - West African Economic and Monetary Union) jointly organized a two-day international conference on financial technology (Fintech) in Dakar (Senegal), on October 30-31, 2019.
Fintech can help advance financial inclusion, financial sector development and more broadly the achievement of the sustainable development goals of ending poverty and shared prosperity. The gains from Fintech are particularly important for developing countries, as they offer an opportunity to address long standing constraints. However, there are risks and a need for balance
The objective of the conference was to bring together regulators, supervisors, and central bankers along with relevant counterparts in public and private sectors to share their experiences and views to deepen the understanding in a few key fintech areas, such as Distributed Ledger Technology, alternative lending, crowdfunding, crypto-assets et central bank digital currency, as well as the regulatory and supervisory responses to Fintech and how to foster a partnership between public and private sector.
The conference attendance was by invitation only.