AccessBank focuses on micro and small business because this sector is vital for the development and diversification of Azerbaijan's economy, the creation of jobs and the elimination of poverty. While most micro and small businesses operate profitably and their flexibility helps them absorb economic shocks, their growth is often limited by a lack of access to financial services. AccessBank has been created to close this gap: to provide access to European standards of financial services for the micro and small business community as a whole, including the households who form part of this community, and to create a more inclusive financial system.