UNSGSA Queen Máxima Holds Fireside Chat on Financial Health at IIEB Event

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UNSGSA Queen Máxima participates in a fireside chat with ABN AMRO CEO Robert Swaak on 10 October 2024 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health, participated in a fireside chat with ABN AMRO CEO Robert Swaak on 10 October 2024, at the H'ART Museum in Amsterdam. The event, part of a private gathering hosted by the Institute International d’Études Bancaires (IIEB), centered on the theme of financial health. 

During the fireside chat, the UNSGSA emphasized the critical role of financial health within the European context and highlighted the need for financial service providers to prioritize this issue in product development. She stressed the importance of designing products that meet the evolving financial needs of individuals. Such financial services could include accessible savings products to help people build financial buffers, affordable loans with realistic repayment terms for entrepreneurs, and early interventions to prevent debt. Financial health is vital not only for individual households but also for the broader financial ecosystem. Financially healthy customers contribute to stronger banks and overall financial stability.

Since September 25, 2024, Queen Máxima has had a new United Nations mandate to promote financial health globally. This builds on the UNSGSA’s 15 years of commitment to financial inclusion for development. Over 76% of adults worldwide now have at least access to a financial account or mobile wallet, a gateway to using other financial services such as savings, loans, and insurance (Global Findex 2021). However, access does not necessarily translate to financial health. In her new UN role, Queen Máxima focuses on promoting and supporting the development of financial products, services, and policies that help people gain control over their daily income and expenses, invest responsibly in a business or save for long-term goals, protect themselves against financial risks, and have confidence in their financial future. These are four critical elements of financial health. How   they contribute to financial health globally will vary by country and culture.

In the Netherlands, Queen Máxima works with SchuldenlabNL, the National Coalition for Financial Health (NCFG), and the Moneywise platform to promote financial health. The NCFG is an informal collaboration of more than fifty public and private organizations committed to the financial health of their employees and customers. ABN AMRO is a participant in the NCFG.