|
AFGHANISTAN |
Afghanistan International Bank (AIB) remains the most stable and reliable institution in a country facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Numbers are one measure of its success. Revenues for 2022 rose 66% year on year to Af3.69 billion ($41.8 million), while non-interest income more than doubled to Af3.05 billion. Its capital adequacy ratio was solid, non-performing loan levels more than manageable and its balance sheet continued to grow.
Equally impressive, AIB stayed profitable, recording after-tax profits of Af1 billion last year.
Led by chief executive Joseph Carasso, the bank gets many things right. It is the only Afghan bank with US dollar clearing through a recognized international bank, reflecting its credentials in the country. It has also long emphasized international standards around everything from financial crime and compliance management to anti-money laundering and cybersecurity.
In the past year, risk management was a particular emphasis, with AIB consolidating all risk-management activities under one division to boost efficiency. It moved all training to a new digital learning system that ensures that staff stay on top of all rules related to AML and combating the financing of terrorism.
Another focus has been digitalization. Some 350 million international transactions were conducted online last year, showing the platform’s importance for people who moved abroad following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.