Brussels, 30 November 2011 – The annual WSBI (World Savings Banks Institute) Postal Savings Banks Forum will gather WSBI postal financial institutions from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe to share their experiences and review their strategies and priorities in a quickly changing environment.  

The financial inclusion opportunities offered by postal networks have recently been given increased attention, as demonstrated by the support by donors and international organisations of postal financial inclusion projects and ongoing postal institutional reforms to optimise the use of postal networks.

WSBI is working with those of its members organised as postal financial institutions to help them adjust their financial services offer to the changing needs of clients, including the most vulnerable, and to an ever increasingly competitive environment. WSBI strongly encourages its member institutions to launch strategic reviews and change their business approach and procedures. 

Chris de Noose, WSBI Managing Director, said, “I am pleased to note that positive progress has been made over the last years as far as financial inclusion is concerned, and the topic is now on the agenda of a number of policymakers at the international level, such as the G20. I strongly believe that the postal network can play a great role in improving financial access and reaching the still unserved and unbanked. However, postal financial institutions need to leverage their strengths and adapt to the quickly changing environment.”

The forum will: 

- disseminate knowledge about successful postal banking business models;

- share best practices for managing relationships between financial institutions and postal institutions;

- teach lessons learned by recent projects or studies on postal financial inclusion;

- discuss branchless banking challenges and opportunities;

- reflect on the importance of a comprehensive consumer policy. 

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Press contacts:

Dirk Smet, tel: +32 2 211 11 90 dirk.smet@savings-banks.com

WSBI - The Global Voice of Savings and Retail Banking

WSBI (World Savings Banks Institute) is an international banking association that represents savings and retail banks and associations thereof in 89 countries of the world (Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Africa and Europe). Promoting savings and retail banks as stabilising forces in the financial world and as the primary financial partners of individuals, SMEs and local authorities in the “real economy” – this is the main objective of the World Savings Banks Institute. A top priority for the organisation is to increase the access to financial services, which is an essential prerequisite to sound and sustainable economic development and to the personal and financial empowerment of individuals. 

Please visit www.savings-banks.com for more information.