The MIX will attend the Microfinance in Russia: Development Perspectives conference, sponsored by the Russian Microfinance Center (RMC) and Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) on December 4-6, 2002 in Moscow, Russian Federation.

This first annual conference is dedicated examining the challenge of increasing the outreach, sustainability, and efficiency of microfinance in Russia through an exchange of information and opinion on the current state of the microfinance “industry” and a review of issues affecting its development.

The MIX will participate in a workshop on “Researching Microfinance in Russia”. The MIX will discuss how information exchanges and benchmarking initiatives are critical to overcoming this challenge and present how its two key services: the MIX Market and the MicroBanking Bulletin can support such efforts.

Conference organizers:

The Russian Microfinance Center (RMC), established in July 2002 with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is a non-commercial foundation serving the needs of microfinance organizations and the nascent microfinance industry in Russia. The RMC provides training and consulting services, expertise on legal and regulatory issues, support for national benchmarking and performance standards, and information exchange services.

Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), founded in 1970, provides innovative, responsible, and well-managed technical assistance in finance, banking, microfinance, enterprise development, agriculture, economic policy, natural resource management, and public sector management. DAI has become a leader in the field of financial systems development for institutions that serve microenterprises and small businesses as well as in small business services. DAI currently manages nine microfinance industry-building projects throughout the world and has provided the intellectual leadership for two flagship research projects in the microenterprise field: GEMINI and Microenterprise Best Practices. Under its cooperative agreement with USAID in Russia, DAI manages the Russia Microfinance Sector Support Program, which includes the establishment and development of the RMC and a grants facility for Russian microfinance organizations, the Targeted Awards-Innovation Support Program.

Conference main theme and topics:

The conference agenda includes presentations and discussions on the following topics:

• Financing for Microfinance Institutions (MFI)
• Introduction to Microfinance in Russia
• Training and consulting services available to MFIs in Russia
• Legal and Regulatory issues
• Presentation on Definitions of Selected Financial Terms, Ratios, and Adjustments for Microfinance and notes on their application in Russia
• A Review and Discussion on the Draft Framework Law on Cooperatives
• State efforts to support microfinance in Russia
• Commercialization considerations
• Researching Microfinance in Russia
• Information sessions on the Targeted Awards-Innovation Support (Grants) Program available to Russian MFIs.