PRESS RELEASE ON 2011 MAKING FINANCE WORK FOR AFRICA PARTNERSHIP FORUM HOSTED AT THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE AFRICAN UNION IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 15-16 SEPTEMBER 2011 More than 300 senior-level financial sector practitioners from over 40 countries will meet at the Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A) 2011 Partnership Forum hosted at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and with the support of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from the 15th -16th September 2011. Since organizing the first Making Finance Work of Africa Partnership Forum in June 2008 in Accra, Ghana, “Competition and innovation are contributing substantially to the development of African financial systems as new players and products, often enabled by new technologies, arrive on the scene. The recent financial crisis has also influenced the African financial landscape through the growing awareness of the need to implement regulatory reforms and to speed up financial integration,” Stefan Nalletamby, MFW4A Partnership Coordinator, noted in a recent message. The Forum revolves around themes and main messages related to the publication “Financing Africa – Through the Crisis and Beyond”, a joint effort by the African Development Bank, the German Development Corporation and the World Bank, that will be launched the 15th September. During plenary and break-out sessions at the 2011 MFW4A Forum, leaders of African and international financial institutions, government officials, central bankers, prominent researchers and international experts will discuss topics related to the new book. The MFW4A Forum will represent an opportunity for policy makers, private sector innovators and technical assistance providers to network with their peers, discuss their experience, exchange best practices and present innovative approaches to financial sector development in Africa. Finally, the MFW4A Forum will host a market place to showcase pioneering ideas, tools, expertise and initiatives. The MFW4APartnership Secretariat, hosted by the African Development Bank, is an initiative to support the development of African financial sectors. The Partnership is a unique platform serving as the reference financial sector development knowledge hub on Africa for African governments, the private and public sectors and for institutional development experts across the continent. MFW4A Partnership, please visit:http://www.mfw4a.org