Azerbaijan_Support for the Development of Non Bank Finance and Alternative Financial Instruments to Develop Economic Diversification

Scope of Work: The expert will work closely with the team leader and FIMSA to assess the enabling environment for the pawning sector, as well as FIMSA’s institutional and organizational capacity to regulate and supervise pawnshop services and draw from international best practice to highlight options for reform. Key findings and recommendations will be included in the action plan and in designing financial education and literacy programs.

Detailed Tasks: Major responsibilities will include, but not be limited to the following: 

1. Identification of a financial inclusion diagnosis methodology and tools to be used for the assignment, to be agreed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and FIMSA.
2. Review the policy, legal and regulatory environment for pawning and FIMSA’s capacity to appropriately supervise and regulate this sector.
3. Review consumer and creditor protection policy and laws.
4. Recommend short-medium and long term measures to bring FIMSA’s pawn  policy, legal, and regulatory framework to international standards.  This will entail assisting FIMSA in drafting amendments to the current laws, new regulations, adapting guidelines and standard operating procedures as needed, and providing advice for transitional arrangements for the new or amended laws and regulations.  
5. Recommend international and regional good practices for pawning, identification of critical steps for transforming the sector, and prioritization of two regulatory changes to be implemented. 
6. Recommend short-medium and long term  measures to improve and expand the range of pawning financial products in manat.   

Deliverables:

1. Assessment report on the pawning sector. 
2. Inputs to the overall prioritized and sequenced action plan.
3. Inputs to the development of financial education and literacy programs.