The World Bank is intensifying its commitment to promote and disseminate the policy and research debate on these and other topics within the scope of financial infrastructure. For this purpose, the World Bank Group is organizing the third global conference for payment system specialists.

This year’s conference “Redefining the Landscape of Payment Systems” has two main objectives:

• discuss those topics currently at the heart of the international debate, and 
• challenge the international payment systems community on whether new approaches are necessary to better address current weaknesses.

Conference brochure(PDF) | Conference agenda

Location: The conference will take place in April 7-10, 2009 at the Westin Grand Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa.

Audience: The conference will gather senior representatives from central banks, securities regulators, commercial banks, non bank financial institutions, payments operators, and multilateral
institutions.

Speakers will include senior payments systems experts with extensive reform experience (from multilateral institutions, regulatory authorities, and financial institutions), and leading scholars with experience in applied research.

The conference aims to:

• Review current practices in reforming payment, remittance and securities settlement systems worldwide in light of recent events in the global financial market;
• Offer tools to help policymakers design and manage the reform effort;
• Challenge existing market, regulatory and oversight approaches and explore the newest instruments in the field;
• Address the role of payment systems for promoting inclusive finance, including the role of international remittances;
• Present a special focus on payment system challenges and opportunities for the Africa continent.

The conference will provide simultaneous interpretation in Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.

Registration:  To register for this program kindly send the following information to Carlo Corazza (ccorazza@worldbank.org) and Rose Vo (hvo1@worldbank.org) or fax at: +1 202 522 3480
Mr. / Ms.
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Fees:  The fee for conference participation is $1,250.00. This fee applies to conference participation in all sessions, breakfast, lunch and snacks from Tuesday, April 7th through Friday April 10th, as well as the reception on Tuesday evening, April 7th. It does not include travel or accommodation expenses, which should be planned by each participant. To secure your place at the conference, kindly follow the payment instructions or contact us for assistance.

Conference Organizer
Massimo Cirasino
Head, Payment Systems Development Group
Financial and Private Sector Development Vice Presidency
World Bank

Hotel Accommodations
Accommodation is not included in the conference fee. To reserve accommodation, kindly contact one of the hotels below and provide credit card information to hold the room. Reservations should be made soon, as space may not be available later.

Westin Grand Cape Town Hotel
Convention Square, 1 Lower Long Street, Cape Town
Telephone: +27 21 412 9010
Fax: 27214129035
Email: RESERVATIONS@ARABELLA.CO.ZA

Additional Accommodations in Cape Town:
Victoria and Alfred Hotel
On the Waterfront Pierhead, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town
Telephone: +27 21 430 3304
Fax: +27 21 4198955
Email: res@vahotel.co.za
Website: http://www.vahotel.co.za

The Commodore Hotel
V&A Waterfront
Cape Town 8002
Telephone: +27 21 415 1000
Fax: +27 21 415 1100/77
Email: commodore@legacyhotels.co.za

Cape Town Lodge Hotel (3 km from Westin Grand)
101 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town
Telephone: +27 21 422 0030
Fax: +27 21 422 0090
Email: robyn@capetownlodge.co.za
Website: http://www.capetownlodge.co.za/

Villa Sunshine Guest House and Apartments (5 km from Westin Grand)
1 Rochester Road, Bantry Bay, Cape Town
Telephone: +27 21 439 8224
Fax: +27 21 439 8219
Email: contact@villasunshine.co.za
Website: http://www.villasunshine.co.za/

Ritz Hotel
(300m from the beach and V&A Waterfront)
Corner Main & Camberwell Roads Sea Point Rhine Road, Cape Town
Telephone: +27 21 439-6010
Fax: +27 21 439-1848

Protea Hotel Breakwater Lodge
(1 km from Westin Grand, and V&A Waterfront)
Portswood Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Telephone: +27 21 4061911
Fax: +27 21 4061070
Email: reserve@bwl.co.za

For additional information please contact:

Carlo Corazza (ccorazza@worldbank.org) - Tel: +1 202 458 9735

Rose Vo (hvo1@worldbank.org) - Tel: +1 202 473 3722