Souraya Sbeih

Souraya Sbeih's interest in digital rails is natural given her two domains of experience: telecommunications and the railway industry. Souraya worked in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for Vodacom and for Adam Smith International, coordinating the first discussions on interoperability among the four telecom operators. She has also worked for Alstom on major train manufacturing projects in Brazil, France, India and South Africa. Souraya is an engineer. She has a master's degree in political economy of late development from the London School of Economics and a master's degree in engineering from the Ecole des Mines ParisTech.

By Souraya Sbeih

Blog

Financial Services Amid Crisis: Resilience and Reconstruction in Gaza and West Bank

FSPs in the West Bank & Gaza face unprecedented challenges amid the ongoing crisis, with Gaza's situation changing daily. Eventual stability will bring a flow of aid, making it crucial to support & rebuild the financial sector for future development.
Research

From Crisis to Resilience: The Role of Inclusive Finance in Fragile Countries

Inclusive finance can bolster resilience and unlock opportunities for low-income people in fragile countries. CGAP identifies three levers of change for funders: leveraging humanitarian cash transfers, understanding informal financial services, and improving local market facilitation.
Blog

Navigating Compound Crises: Microfinance Learnings From Lebanon

Lebanon has faced a recent string of compounding crises, crippling GDP and decimating the Lebanese currency. Al Majmoua MFI survived the freefall and offers valuable insights into the diversity of measures that can be taken in the face of crisis.
Research

Starting the Transaction: Payment Initiation and Customer Experience

This technical note is framed to help policymakers and payment system operators understand recent trends in payment initiation and customer experience in making interoperable payments work better for low-income populations.
Research

Instant Payments and Merchants — Pricing Policy Considerations

This technical note helps explain why changes in instant payment pricing are occurring, assesses their impact on market development, and offers suggestions for the path forward.