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Arab Finance: The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are launching a series of masterclasses (MasterTalks), in cooperation with the Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB), as per a press release.
MasterTalks aims at supporting inclusive banking best practices and advancing knowledge and innovation across the banking sector.
The inaugural event brought together heads of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), financial inclusion managers from the banking sector, and key stakeholders from Egypt’s financial ecosystem, including the Credit Guarantee Company (CGC), the Egyptian Credit Bureau (i-Score), and the Egyptian Banking Institute (EBI).
International speakers also joined the dialogue to explore the challenges of operationalizing artificial intelligence (AI) and the global use cases tailored to emerging markets.
Each session of the MasterTalks series will be dedicated to a specific theme related to the digital transformation of the banking sector, with the ultimate goal of advancing financial inclusion.
Talks during the inaugural event focused on the importance of leveraging digital transformation to modernize the banking industry, showcasing how emerging technologies can be integrated into financial systems.
The dialogue also highlighted the role that AI tools can play in enhancing access to both financial and non-financial services for individuals as well as MSMEs, helping address their diverse needs and opening new horizons for financially excluded segments.
This initiative highlights the CBE’s and the EBRD’s focus on supporting innovation, advancing the banking sector’s capacity building, and promoting inclusive, sustainable growth within the country’s financial system.
These efforts have significantly boosted financial inclusion rates in Egypt in recent years.
As of June 2025, the financial inclusion rate reached 76.3%, climbing by 214% since 2016. During the same period, the lending portfolios of banks directed to MSMEs recorded a growth rate of 395%.
With Egypt being a founding member of the EBRD, the bank has invested over €13.5 billion across 206 projects since it started operations in the country in 2012.
