All eyes on finance, as the Capital hosts anticipated summit

Preparations get underway for the effervescent East African Finance Summit, an annual event that brings together financial experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the region to discuss the state of the financial industry and its development.
The summit is gearing to be hosted this week on June 15–16, 2023, in Addis Ababa at the Skylight Hotel.
The event, which aims to promote financial inclusion and innovation as well as foster collaboration among stakeholders, will be held under the theme, “Emerging Frontiers in Africa’s Finance Sector: Regional Integration, Innovation, and Access to Finance.”
The Summit was co-organized by the Capital Africa Institute, Jimma University, the Association of Ethiopian Insurers, and the Ethiopian Professional Association of Accountants and Auditors.
“The theme highlights the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to drive innovation and improve access to financial services across the continent. The summit is said to bring together experts from various fields, including finance, technology, and policy, to discuss ways to promote regional integration and enhance financial inclusion in Africa,” highlighted Gemechu Waktola, founder and CEO of I-Capital.
As he indicated, with a view of creating a multilateral dialogue among leading industry experts, researchers, financial institution representatives, executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and government officials in the region, more than 300 participants are expected to participate in the event to share their insights and knowledge on the latest trends and developments in the sector.
“In the last five editions, we have raised certain issues regarding the financial sector of Ethiopia and the East African region as well. And we have witnessed that those issues have been addressed over time,” says Gemechu, adding that it is now time to talk about regional integration, innovation, and access to finance.
“Moving forward, it is crucial to focus on regional integration, innovation, and increased access to finance. A robust financial system, exploring new technologies and approaches, and fostering collaboration between countries are essential for a strong financial sector,” the CEO elaborated.
The East African Finance Summit was first held in 2016 in Addis Ababa.
“The whole intention of the summit is to bring dynamism to the finance sector through discussion and networking, bringing best practices from other countries to the room, and creating a platform to discuss such things as challenges, opportunities and current trends in the sector,” said Gemechu, whilst depicting the core essence of the summit.