News

News

Aug 28, 2014 |
August 28, 2014 - Integrating digital payments into the economies of emerging and developing nations addresses crucial issues of broad economic growth and individual financial empowerment, according to a new report by the World Bank Development Research Group.  Read the full press release here.   
Jun 12, 2014 |
A report by the World Bank Development Research Group, the Better Than Cash Alliance, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the GPFI presents a synthesis of the evidence that the widespread adoption of digital payments in all their forms, including international and domestic remittances, can be instrumental in reaching the goals of the G20.    Released on 28 August 2014, the report “Opportunities of Digitizing Payments” explores how the digitization of payments, transfers and remittances contributes to the G20 goals of broad-based economic growth, financial inclusion and women’s economic empowerment.   
GPFI members in Hobart
Jun 4, 2014 |
At its meeting in Hobart, Australia, on May 5-6, 2014, the GPFI reviewed its work to date and focused on how new technologies such as mobile banking and other innovations could help advance progress on financial inclusion in many developing countries. Delegates considered how the GPFI could help lower the cost of money transfers, which can attract fees of more than 30 percent in low-income countries, and improve the availability of remittance services, including from non-bank remittance providers.   In 2013, the G20 extended the GPFI's mandate to look at how to reduce the costs of remittances, making it easier and cheaper for migrants to send money home to their families in developing countries.   
Jun 4, 2014 |
Watch the Australian Co-Chair Rebecca Bryant explain Australia's priorities for the GPFI in 2014. Video available here.
Apr 11, 2014 |
As part of the 2014 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, the session "Digital Finance: Innovation at the Core of Big Development Challenges" brought together innovators, private sector leaders, and government representatives to discuss how transformative businesses are taking advantage of giant leaps in digital technology to benefit individuals and small businesses in developing countries who have no access to formal financial services and credit. More information on the session is available here.  Watch the replay of the session at http://live.worldbank.org/digital-finance
Feb 19, 2014 |
The GPFI Data and Measurement Subgroup has compiled a number of case studies to showcase how data translates into evidence-based policies in the specific context of countries’ experience in using financial inclusion data. The Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) played a key role in canvassing members of the AFI network and coordinating the work to complete the country case studies. Apart from demonstrating the use of data in the financial inclusion development of the countries, a useful by-product of the case studies is the description of particular elements of each country’s financial inclusion journey.    Read the following country case studies now available in the Publications section:   Bangladesh Burundi
Dec 18, 2013 |
Officials from member countries, guests and a number of international organisations met in Sydney on 16 and 17 December 2013 to discuss the way ahead for the G20’s development agenda in 2014. The Development Working Group (DWG) has an emphasis on ensuring developing and low income countries can contribute to, and benefit from, approaches taken by the G20 to promote stronger economic growth, employment outcomes and resilience.   More information can be found here.  
© G20 Taskforce, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
Dec 1, 2013 |
On December 1, 2013, Australia officially assumed the Presidency of the G20. Australia’s G20 Presidency in 2014 will focus on promoting stronger economic growth and jobs and on making the global economy more resilient to deal with future shocks.  More information on Australia's G20 Presidency is available here.  
Dec 1, 2013 |
December 1, 2013, marks the official commencement of Australia’s Presidency of the G20. Read the full press release here. 
Nov 12, 2013 |
Low-income populations benefit the most from technological innovations such as mobile payments, mobile banking, and borrower identification based on fingerprinting and iris scans, according to a new World Bank Group report. Read the full announcement here.