In collaboration with the International Association of Francophone Microfinance Researchers (Association Internationale des Chercheurs Francophones en Microfinance - AICFM), the West African Center for Banking Studies and Training (COFEB) organized, on July 17, 2020, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm GMT, an online study and research workshop on “the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the microfinance sector in the Union”. The workshop was organized to reflect on the new challenges facing the microfinance sector in the context of the COVID-19 health crisis and to identify appropriate measures to support the sector’s stakeholders. It is part of COFEB’s efforts to promote a partnership-based forum for discussions between the BCEAO, the Union’s research community, international research centers and economic actors.

The panel, which was moderated by the General Manager of COFEB, Mr. Ousmane Samba Mamadou, was structured around two sub-themes:

• “Digitization, Microfinance and Financial Inclusion in the Context of the COVID-19 Crisis”, presented by Professor Thierry Montalieu of the University of Orléans and Professor Magloire Lanha of the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin;
• “Do the Covid-19 crisis and a potential deglobalization scenario create a new context for microfinance supervision? MFI rules and regulation: a trade-off between resilience and agility” by Professor Célestin Mayoukou of the University of Rouen and Professor Denis Acclassato of the University of Abomey-Calavi.

The welcome address during the opening ceremony was presented by Ms. Ndèye Amy Ngom Seck, Director of Research and Partnerships, followed by a speech by Professor Michel Lelart, President of the AICFM, and an address by the General Manager of COFEB.