On 16–17 September 2026, Bishkek hosted the Asia-Pacific Chapter Meeting of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV), organised by Kompanion Bank. It was the first time an Asia-Pacific regional meeting had been held in Central Asia.  

Amsterdam/Bishkek, 21 September 2026. The Asia-Pacific Chapter of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) convened in Bishkek on 16–17 September, marking the first time the regional gathering has been held in Central Asia. Hosted by Kompanion Bank, the only GABV member in the Kyrgyz Republic, the meeting brought together values-based banking leaders from across the region to exchange experiences and explore shared challenges and opportunities. 

The meeting brought together senior executives from banks and financial institutions across Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Nepal and other countries in the region. Over two days, participants discussed digital transformation, financial inclusion, sustainable finance, support for small and medium-sized enterprises, and international banking cooperation. 

Focus on international payments and financial inclusion 

The meeting opened with a public event bringing together the Central Bank, international organisations and the national banking community to discuss correspondent banking and cross-border payment systems, infrastructure that underpins financial inclusion across the region. Colleagues also reconnected against the backdrop of the Kyrgyz Republic’s 35 years of independence and discussed the economic dynamics shaping the region. 

As part of the Chapter Meeting, Kompanion Bank hosted the international GABV Forum on 16 September, “Innovations in International Payments and Remittances: Advancing Financial Inclusion.” GABV members were joined by representatives of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic, IFAD, IFC, Visa, the European Union, and Kyrgyzstan’s financial sector. The Forum addressed correspondent banking, international remittances, emerging payment technologies, transaction security and efficiency, and ways to expand access to modern financial services for individuals and businesses. 

Kompanion Bank joined GABV in 2023 and remains the only financial institution in the Kyrgyz Republic represented in the network. In 2025, Margarita Cherikbaeva, CEO and Chairperson of the Management Board of Kompanion Bank, was elected to the GABV Board of Directors, strengthening the representation of both the Bank and Kyrgyzstan at the international level. 

Opening the Forum, Cherikbaeva said: “Modern financial solutions should make international transactions more accessible, secure and convenient for people and businesses. By bringing together banks, international organisations, regulators and the payments industry in Bishkek, we are creating an opportunity to discuss practical solutions that are relevant both to Kyrgyzstan and to the wider region.“ 

Visiting Central Asia: Three members, one region 

Ahead of the meeting, GABV Executive Director Martin Rohner and Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific, Upendra Poudyal, visited three member banks across Central Asia: Ipak Yuli, Bank Arvand and Investment and Credit Bank (ICB). 

In Tashkent, they met with Javkhar Saidkamolov, Deputy Chairman of the Board and Chief Risk Officer at Ipak Yuli Bank, GABV’s first member in Uzbekistan. Serving more than 3 million clients, Ipak Yuli presented its ESG strategy, including its climate governance framework, measurement of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and green financing targets. The visit came as Uzbekistan’s banking sector undergoes reform, with new financial literacy requirements and a 30% gender quota for bank boards on the horizon. 

From Tashkent, the delegation travelled to Dushanbe for two further visits. At ICB Tajikistan, part of the Aga Khan Development Network, CEO Mirzosafar Safarov and his team discussed ethical growth, correspondent banking, and the role of financial services in an economy driven by remittances. ICB’s branch network reaches deep into rural areas, making it a key player in Tajikistan’s transition to a market economy. Nearby, the delegation visited a branch of Bank Arvand, headquartered in Khujand, where support for women entrepreneurs is central to the bank’s work with local communities.