Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Central Asian Microfinance Forum 2026 brought together around 500 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and other countries in Almaty on 21 September. The event was held at The Ritz-Carlton Almaty.
The forum was organised by the Association of Microfinance Organisations of Kazakhstan and the Coordinating Council of Associations of Microfinance Organisations of Central Asian Countries.
Participants included executives from microfinance organisations and banks, representatives of government bodies and regulators, international financial institutions, investment companies and development funds, as well as fintech companies, credit bureaus, anti-fraud platforms and professional associations.
Discussions focused on changes in Central Asia’s microfinance market regulation, responsible lending, consumer protection, digitalisation and the use of artificial intelligence. Participants also discussed new sources of funding, cyber fraud, illegal lending and the sector’s investment attractiveness.
Separate sessions addressed financing for entrepreneurship and technology businesses, behavioural supervision and digital solutions for microfinance organisations.
The main outcome of the forum was the adoption of the Almaty Declaration by associations of microfinance organisations from Central Asian countries. The document sets out principles for developing a sustainable, transparent and responsible microfinance market and identifies areas for further regional cooperation.
The declaration covers responsible lending and reducing household debt burdens, consumer protection and improving financial literacy, combating financial fraud and responsible digital transformation of financial services.
The document also calls for stronger cooperation among government bodies, regulators and market participants, as well as the exchange of practices among Central Asian countries.
Erbol Omarhanov, Chairman of the Council of the Association of Microfinance Organisations of Kazakhstan, said the sector was undergoing transformation and that countries in the region faced common challenges related to consumer protection, combating fraud and introducing digital technologies. He said the adoption of the Almaty Declaration marked a step towards systematic regional cooperation.
The forum also featured an awards ceremony for microfinance organisations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Sixteen organisations received awards for achievements in corporate governance, support for entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the protection of clients’ rights and interests.
Participants also concluded several practical agreements. In particular, a commitment letter was signed on adherence to the principles of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Code. The initiative provides for expanding women’s access to financial resources and developing lending to women entrepreneurs in cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
The Association of Microfinance Organisations of Kazakhstan and the Association of Mediators of Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of cooperation on pre-trial dispute resolution, improving communication with borrowers and strengthening mechanisms to protect the rights of financial services consumers.
Another memorandum was signed by the Association of Microfinance Organisations of Kazakhstan and the public foundation Financial Culture of Kazakhstan. The document provides for cooperation in financial, digital and consumer literacy, as well as joint efforts to prevent illegal lending, financial pyramids and fraud.
Following the forum, participants stressed the need to combine technological development in the microfinance sector and the attraction of new sources of capital with common principles of responsible conduct, client protection and continuous cooperation among government, business and professional communities.
The event was supported by general partners TAS GROUP, Sapa Group, Arnur Credit, Asian Credit Fund and MOST Finance. Forum partners included KMF Bank, Jet Finance, R Finance, Tarlan Payments, First Credit Bureau, the Cyber Attack Analysis and Investigation Centre, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Neptune.
