European Microfinance Week 2009 held on 24th - 26th November 2009 in Luxembourg.
The theme for the 2009 meeting was 'Microfinance in an new financial era' and examined how the microfinance sector has reacted in the face of the global financial crisis.
A combination of plenary, workshop and roundtable sessions ensured participants make the most of their opportunity to stay informed, debate and contribute to discussions.
The EIB, for its part, held an open forum for all European microfinance professionals interested in microfinance in developing countries. Besides, Plutarchos Sakellaris, EIB Vice-President gave a speech at the closing plenary followed by Wolday Amha from the Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institutions.
The EIB has set up a Microfinance Centre of Expertise which is increasingly called upon by the European Commission, the EU Member States and International Financial Institutions to participate in microfinance projects both in developing countries and in the EU. The EIB's commitments for microfinance projects stand at EUR 229.4 m in debt and equity. The largest beneficiary is the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region, with EUR 157.7m of investments to date.
For more information on this conference, please visit: http://www.e-mfp.eu/
