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Hosted by the South African Reserve Bank in partnership with the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures from 22–23 October 2025.
Building on the enthusiastic response to our call for papers, the conference programme will bring together leading researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping cross-border payments in sub-Saharan Africa.
With a carefully curated mix of academic presentations, policy perspectives, and practitioner insights, this event will serve as a unique platform for dialogue and collaboration, helping to shape the future of cross-border payments.
Find the full programme here.
09:10 – 10:00 |
Setting the stage: The global and regional perspective Presentation | Cross-border payment technologies: Innovations and challenges |
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10:00 – 10:55 |
Research session: Cross-border payments from a macro–and microeconomic perspective Presentation | Global cross-border payments: A US$1 quadrillion evolving market |
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11:30 – 12:25 |
Research session: The interaction between migration and international remittances Presentation | Migration and cross-border payments: Analysing remittance dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa Paper | Migration and cross-border payments: Analysing remittance dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa |
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| 13:30 – 14:25 | Policy panel: How to unlock cross-border payments in sub-Saharan Africa? | |
| 14:25 – 15:20 | Research session: Drivers of cross-border payments in the region Presentation | An empirical analysis of factors that influence informal cross-border money payments in the SADC region Paper | An empirical analysis of factors that influence informal cross-border money payments in the SADC region |
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| 15:45 – 16:40 | Research session: Payments in the fast lane – driving efficiency in cross-border transactions Presentation | Payment performance in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of speed in financial transformation Paper | Payment performance in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of speed in financial transformation |
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| 16:40 – 17:35 | Policy panel: Trust and transparency – leveraging payments pre-validation and confirmation of payee solutions |
08:45 – 09:00 |
Keynote remarks on the South African G20 Presidency priorities |
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09:00 – 09:50 |
Setting the stage: Shaping payments and digital finance Presentation | Retail payments evolution: The rise of instant payments |
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09:50 – 10:45 |
Policy panel: Interoperability and innovation – connecting existing infrastructures or starting from scratch | ||
| 11:05 – 12:00 | Policy panel: Cross-border payment opportunities and challenges – perspectives from market stakeholders | ||
| 12:00 – 12:55 | Research session: Measuring what matters – leveraging granular data to drive change in crossborder payments Presentation | Understanding cost patterns in remittance corridors of sub-Saharan Africa: A data-driven analysis of infrastructure and inclusion gaps Paper | Understanding cost patterns in remittance corridors of sub-Saharan Africa: A data-driven analysis of infrastructure and inclusion gaps |
