HRH the Grand Duchess Highlights Luxembourg’s Inclusive Finance Leadership During Visit to the Maison de la Microfinance

HRH the Grand Duchess Highlights Luxembourg’s Inclusive Finance Leadership During Visit to the Maison de la Microfinance

Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg visited the Maison de la Microfinance on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, emphasizing Luxembourg’s pivotal role as a global center for inclusive finance. The event brought together representatives from the nine organizations housed in the building, showcasing the Grand Duchy’s unique and dynamic ecosystem dedicated to fostering financial inclusion worldwide.

A Royal Endorsement of Luxembourg’s Inclusive Finance Hub.

Nestled in the heart of Luxembourg City, the Maison de la Microfinance serves as a vibrant hub for the country’s inclusive finance ecosystem. During her visit, HRH the Grand Duchess was welcomed by Tom Pfeiffer, Chairman of the Board at Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe), and Patrick Losch, Chairman of Appui au développement autonome (ADA).

In his welcome speech, Mr. Pfeiffer highlighted the significance of HRH’s longstanding support for the sector:

“Your Royal Highness, it is particularly meaningful to welcome you back to this building which you yourself inaugurated in 2007. Your dedication to the field of microfinance and inclusive finance over more than three decades has been truly remarkable. Since your appointment as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the fight against poverty in 1997, your unwavering support has helped position Luxembourg as a global hub for inclusive finance.”

A Thriving Ecosystem

The event showcased the work of nine Luxembourg-based organizations working in complementary aspects of inclusive finance:

Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) – Presented by Paola D’Angelo, who explained their role in maintaining social, environmental, and client protection standards while building capacity of actors around the world.

Microlux SIS – Sam Paulus and Jérémy Del Rosario shared impressive results from their domestic microfinance work: 321 microloans disbursed, 280 entrepreneurs supported, 450 jobs created and preserved, and 1028 people accompanied.

Microinsurance Network (MiN) – Matthew Genazzini, and Aiste Vyšniauskaitė, highlighted microinsurance as sometimes “the forgotten part of inclusive finance” while emphasizing its critical importance for vulnerable populations and the role played by the network to strengthen members work.

Investment for Development (IforD) – Kaspar Wansleben and Chiara Pescatori discussed their role in bringing the private sector along on the journey toward inclusive finance, emphasizing the importance of finding the right compromises between both investment and social returns.

Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe) – Philippe Guichandut and Tom Pfeiffer outlined how InFiNe’s 44 members from different sectors collaborate to strengthen Luxembourg’s position as a global key player in financial inclusion.

Financing Innovation Tool (FIT), a spin-off of ADA – Axel de Ville and Cristelle Nguemouhe presented their work bridging the financing gap for SMEs in developing countries, showcasing the success story of the Women’s Investment Club in Senegal.

European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) – Christoph Pausch highlighted, among other initiatives, the European Microfinance Week, which brings over 600 participants to Luxembourg annually, placing the Grand Duchy at the center of global financial inclusion efforts for 3 days each year.

Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) – Ilya Sverdlov and Sari Sisalem discussed their work with financial regulators and especially central banks worldwide, praising Luxembourg’s sustainable finance model that inspires other jurisdictions.

Appui au développement autonome (ADA) – Laura Foschi and Patrick Losch presented ADA’s 30 years of expertise in financial inclusion, supporting over 330 partner organizations globally.

You can find the 9 organizations’ presentations HERE.

Insights and Discussions

Following the presentations, the Grand Duchess shared her thoughts on the importance of inclusive finance. She emphasized the link between financial inclusion and global peace.

A rich discussion followed, covering key challenges facing the sector:

• The need for central banks to provide frameworks that encourage banks to look beyond financial returns to social returns;
• The importance of bottom-up approaches over top-down “ready-made” solutions to take advantage of all the innovative solutions existing in emerging markets;
• The growing demand within traditional banks for more meaningful investment opportunities;
• The need to attract more private investors in the sector by proposing de-risking mechanisms and changing the mindset of the people;
• HRH shared her own experience witnessing how insurance can be essential in difficult situations;
• The ultimate goal, as articulated by Tom Pfeiffer:

“We will have finished our work when Inclusive Finance is Finance.”

Looking forward

The visit demonstrated the strength and diversity of Luxembourg’s inclusive finance ecosystem, especially hosted at the Maison de la Microfinance. With HRH the Grand Duchess’s continued support, these organizations will continue working toward their shared vision of making financial services accessible to everyone, especially the most vulnerable populations worldwide.

The event concluded with a group photo of all Maison de la Microfinance employees in front of the building, symbolizing the collaborative spirit that makes Luxembourg a leading voice in building a more equitable financial future worldwide.

Download the Press Release in English – Télécharger le Communiqué de Presse en français

All photos © Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue