Speeches

H.M. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA), provided a virtual keynote address for the Nigeria International Financial Inclusion Conference on 24 November 2022.---Honorable Minister, Governor … Read more

A broad range of financial services – such as savings, insurance, and credit – are needed for individuals, households, and SMEs to fully benefit from the digital economy. We also need continued commitment to put in place a digital financial infrastructure that is inclusive, safe, and equitable… Read more

If designed and implemented with inclusion in mind, central bank digital currencies can offer a powerful tool to help meet some financial inclusion challenges. Read more

Emphasizing how financial inclusion can support financial health – notably to help people to better manage their day-to-day finances, to access to credit, and to plan and meet future goals – will be necessary to achieve true change in the lives of the poor. Moving beyond payments and supporting a… Read more

If designed and implemented with inclusion in mind, CDBC’s could offer many options to expand access to the unbanked, and to serve the vulnerable and the poor. Read more

We should not seek innovation for innovation’s sake. With each new technology – such as central bank digital currencies – we must always ask what problems we are trying to solve, and what future are we envisioning, to stand the best chance at achieving long-term success. Read more

I warmly welcome the work of the GPFI this year in developing the implementation guide for the G20 High-Level for Principles for Digital Financial Inclusion. Renewing our commitment to support women, youth, and MSMEs is essential for inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth. We can help them… Read more

By bringing the public and private sectors together around digital public goods, we can make real progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.  Read more

This sharp rise has been fueled by a technological revolution stretching across the world. New data from the Global Findex report shows the long reach of financial technology. From India to East Africa, even the smallest rural merchants are being paid and making payments with the mobile phones they… Read more

Climate change will be the most disruptive force to impact low-income households, women, and small businesses for decades to come. Add to this the knock-on effects of global conflict and soaring inflation, and it is clear that the world needs new solutions to help the most vulnerable build… Read more

Today’s report provides a fresh opportunity to take stock of what has been achieved and the work still ahead. For many years, the UNSGSA has championed financial technology as a pathway to greater prosperity and financial health. We now have more evidence that it is working. Read more

In the Netherlands, we have an efficient and quite competitive market; and the rules and regulations are clear. The key question is: how can we make sure that all this truly works for the benefit of customers; even with the changes that are forthcoming? Read more