DFCC Bank hosted the 49th Annual Meetings of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP), bringing nearly 130 delegates from more than 20 countries to Sri Lanka for regional policy dialogue and engagement with the country’s agriculture, food processing and dairy sectors.

Held at Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, Colombo, under the theme “Partnerships for Prosperity: Unlocking Regional Potential,” ADFIAP 49 combined formal discussions on development finance with visits to local enterprises and meetings with policymakers and regulators.

ADFIAP comprises 97 member institutions across 42 countries and works to advance sustainable economic, environmental and social development through development finance. DFCC Bank is a founding and charter member of the Association and hosted the Annual Meetings for the third time.

DFCC Bank Director and Chief Executive Officer Thimal Perera said hosting the meeting brought regional discussions closer to Sri Lanka’s institutions, industries and entrepreneurs. He noted that the outcomes would be reflected in continued relationships, opportunities receiving serious consideration and partnerships progressing into action.

The opening programme included remarks by ADFIAP Chair Dr. Kao Thach, Chief Executive Officer of Cambodia’s Agricultural and Rural Development Bank, and a keynote address by Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

A special interest session titled “Sri Lanka’s Financial Landscape: Transforming Challenges into Regional Opportunities” examined how the country could translate greater economic stability into investment, productivity and sustained growth.

The programme focused on five priorities shaping development finance across the region: public-private partnerships, regional integration, climate finance and green transitions, digital transformation for SME growth, and greater economic participation by underserved communities.

Beyond the conference venue, Dr. Kao Thach and an accompanying delegation visited a rural dairy enterprise supported through DFCC Bank’s dairy-sector value-chain financing programme. The visit highlighted how access to finance, improved farm-management practices and investment in feed and infrastructure had helped a small venture develop into a sustainable commercial operation.

Delegates also engaged with the paddy sector to explore knowledge exchange, institutional collaboration and regional cooperation in agriculture, rural development and food security. Dr. Kao Thach met with the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and government officials to discuss national development priorities and potential regional contributions through finance, expertise and partnerships.

Six partnership agreements connected to ADFIAP’s development agenda were ceremonially recognised during the Annual Meetings. The agreements covered green infrastructure, sustainable finance, agricultural technology, digital banking, investment sourcing and institutional capacity-building.