Conference on Microfinance Policy and Governance
Bangkok, 6-8 March 2002

Thai Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak to open meeting

BANGKOK (United Nations Information Services) - Thai Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will open a three-day Conference on Microfinance Policy and Governance at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, on Wednesday, 6 March 2002.

More than 120 participants are expect to attend and include representatives from microfinance institutions, credit unions/ cooperatives, government agencies, academicians, banks, donors, United Nations agencies and the intended beneficiaries of microfinance services - the poor.

The meeting is being organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asian and Pacific Development Centre, Asia Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, and the Asian Confederation of Credit Unions with support from the Japan Foundation, the Leopold Mayer Foundation, the Canadian International Development agency, Canadian Cooperative Alliance, Initiatives in Research and Education for Development in Asia, and Ethnos Asia.

Participants will discuss and adopt a declaration on microfinance and its future role in meeting the goals of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. One of the goals specified in the declaration was to halve absolute poverty by 2015. The meeting is building on the widespread recognition that microfinance services have taken over an essential role in poverty reduction.

Organizers expect the Conference to conclude with the establishment of a regional partnership network for the development of mechanisms for the adequate funding of microfinance institutions in Asia and the Pacific region. Part of the function of this network will be to develop programmes for building competence for the management of national networks of microfinance institutions. The Conference is also expected to lay the groundwork for a regional information system on microfinance policies/ regulations and best practices in the governance of microfinance institutions in the Asia Pacific region.

Note to Editors
You or your representatives are invited to attend the Conference on Microfinance Policy and Governance to be held at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, from 6-8 March 2002. Thai Finance Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will open the conference at 10:00 am on Wednesday, 6 March 2002.

For further information please contact:
Mr. David Lazarus, Chief
United Nations Information Services/Bangkok
Tel: 02-288-1234; Fax: 02-288-1052
E-mail: unisbkk.unescap@un.org

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