Special Report of Sanabel's Conference 2026

Cerise+SPTF was proud to attend the 17th Annual Conference of Sanabel, The Microfinance Network of Arab Countries, the leading network promoting financial inclusion across Arab countries, in Sharm El-sheikh, Egypt.

Our Cerise+SPTF team, Rula Mheissen, Client Protection Pathway Director and Head of Outreach to MENA, and Jurgen Hammer, Consultant, joined sector leaders under this year’s theme: "Inclusive Growth Through Innovation."

The conference opened with a powerful address by Bassem Khanfar, Chairman of Sanabel and CEO of Tamweelcom. He emphasised that in a region facing ongoing geopolitical challenges, innovation is not optional: it is essential for resilience and sustainable growth.

1️⃣ - Digital Financial Services: Protection clients, building trust

Jürgen and Rula moderated the plenary session on "Digital Financial Services (DFS) Standards: Protecting Clients and Building Trust."

They opened with an overview of the Cerise+SPTF Digital Financial Services Standards, highlighting how these standards help institutions strengthen client protection and foster trust within rapidly evolving digital ecosystems.

We were honored to engage with an outstanding panel:

• Dalal Takla - Tamweely Financial Services (Egypt)
• Issam Shnoudeh - Tamweelcom (Jordan)
• Mohammed Bachachi - Vitas Iraq (Iraq)
• Mohammed Al Fawdai - Alkuraimi Islamic Microfinance Bank (Yemen)

The discussion addressed practical implementation challenges, DFS risk management, and how applying standards enables institutions to scale responsibly while safeguarding clients.

2️⃣ - Governance in Inclusive Finance

Rula also moderated a second session on "Governance in Inclusive Finance", opening with reflections on the critical role of strong governance and board engagement in advancing financial service providers’ social and environmental responsibilities.

Panelists included:

• Aladdin ElAfifi - CEO, EFG Finance / Tanmeyah (Egypt)
• Ahmed Labib - CEO & Managing Director, Reefy Micro Finance Enterprise Services (Egypt)
• Sameh Mahriq - CEO, National Microfinance Jordan (Jordan)

The session underscored how effective governance structures help institutions stay aligned with their social mission while navigating growth and innovation.