The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate for Development Cooperation and the Ministry of Finance of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg have both taken the lead on financial issues in the area of development. Increased access to financial services for the poor, with specific target populations living in suburban and rural sectors, will contribute to the accomplishment of two Millennium Development Goals; those of poverty alleviation and gender equity. This streamlined direction provides support at three levels: policy guidance, regulation, and capacity strengthening of the organisations involved, through projects both locally and abroad. The LRTM stands as a key player, facilitating the dialogue on microfinance issues amongst the private and public sector. Experiences its members acquire while implementing projects in development countries are shared, and contribute to the feasibility of state microfinance policies. As the LRTM evolves, new challenges on the vision of the sector emerge from the outside, and closer, from the local public. POLICY In 2009 a strategic reference document was reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate for Development Cooperation for the microfinance sector, in order to promote awareness of key-issue areas. It looked at past, current and anticipated initiatives and also defined Luxembourg’s cooperation goals in … Continue reading IMPLEMENTING THE LUXEMBOURG MICROFINANCE POLICY