Financial Inclusion And Development In The Cemac

This paper examines financial inclusion and development in the CEMAC. We explore the level of financial inclusion in the CEMAC through a benchmarking exercise.We construct a measure of financial development gap and analyze its determinants. Using panel data regressions, we find that inflation, income, and natural resources explain most of the financial development level but that better financial sector governance and stronger economic governance are positively associated with financial sector development. Richer and poorer countries can be equally far from their expected financial development levels. Finally, we use a benchmarking exercise to identify countries that have successfully reduced the financial development gap and propose policy measures that CEMAC countries could use to boost financial inclusion.

This Selected Issues paper focuses on the need of improving liquidity management and the operational framework of monetary policy in Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC). Disconnected policy and lending rates reflect the ineffective interest rate channel of monetary policy transmission while the shallow domestic banking system and the underdeveloped financial markets induce weaknesses of both the credit and asset price channels. In the absence of an efficient interest rate channel, liquidity plays an important role in the conduct of monetary policy. The CEMAC economy is vulnerable to external shocks and its banking system potentially exposed to liquidity shocks. Successful monetary policy implementation requires a set of appropriate instruments to cope with various liquidity shocks. The origins of the surplus liquidity should be well known upfront and addressed with a suitable combination of measures, including foreign exchange, fiscal and financial system development policies. The paper recommends that the Bank of Central African States should investigate all the means to centralize and analyze relevant information for autonomous factors forecasts, including daily operations of Treasuries and foreign exchange operations from its accounting system, as well as banknotes in circulation.

Transforming Africa: How Savings Groups Foster Financial Inclusion, Resilience and Economic Development presents in-depth empirical research into current day savings group activities across Africa, exploring savings groups through the lens of financial inclusion and reflecting on formal finance, economic and social outcomes.

Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC): Financial System Stability Assessment

Taking a detailed tour through the emerging economic field of financial inclusion, this timely book charts the subtle conceptual shifts that gave rise to the focus on inclusivity in development finance, and provides an overview of key concepts, issues, and empirical findings. Diving into the crucial interaction of financial inclusion with gender, further chapters present new conceptual frameworks for thinking about these interactions, as well as discussing the impacts of gendered financial exclusion on both economic and empowerment outcomes.

The Republic of Congo has seen dramatic improvement in its debt situation since 2010, following debt relief through the IMF and World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Countries/Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. Large oil revenues have allowed the country to boost spending and increase foreign exchange reserves. Yet poverty and inequality remain comparatively high. This paper examines Congo’s challenge to manage its natural resource revenue and attain sustained inclusive growth.

Inclusive Financial Development provides theoretical and empirical analyses of the nature of financial inclusion. The contributing authors explore the impediments to inclusion that exist around the world, the macro and stability implications, and the regulation dimension.

In its fourth edition, this report focuses on recent developments in Africa's banking sectors and the policy options for all stakeholders. The study of banking sectors across all African sub-regions includes the results of the EIB survey of banking groups operating in Africa. Three thematic chapters address challenges and opportunities for financing investment in Africa: Crowding out of private sector lending by public debt issuance The state of bank recovery and resolution laws in Africa Policy options on how to finance infrastructure development. The report finds that in many African banking markets, the last two years saw a pause in financial deepening. However, a rising share of banking groups report improving market conditions and plan a structural expansion of their operations in Africa and a continued push for new technologies.