H.M. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA), will provide virtual opening remarks at the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) High-Level Symposium on 4 October 2021. The UNSGSA is Honorary Patron of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI).
The event will be held under the theme of coping with new and old vulnerabilities in a post-pandemic world. The Special Advocate is expected to stress the importance of building a more inclusive and responsible digital economy with expanded opportunities for consumers and micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
This includes capitalizing on innovation to enable opportunities that improve people’s lives and lead to positive development outcomes. Digitization is critical to support key sectors for building broad-based growth and development, including MSMEs and smallholder farmers.
Governor of Bank of Italy Ignazio Visco is also scheduled to provide opening remarks, alongside the UNSGSA.
The Special Advocate has collaborated with Governor Visco and the Italian Presidency over the last year. The Special Advocate held meetings with Governor Visco and then-Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in 30 November 2020.
At that time, the UNSGSA also participated in a roundtable chaired by Governor Visco where she joined, among others: Pietro Benassi, Ambassador, Diplomatic Advisor to Prime Minister Conte and G20 Sherpa, and Magda Bianco, Co-Chair of G20 GPFI and Head of Consumer Protection and Financial Education Directorate at the Bank of Italy.
Additionally, on 4 December 2020, the UNSGSA held a virtual meeting with Roberto Gualtieri, Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance.
Furthermore, the Special Advocate is anticipated to provide a foreword to the forthcoming G20 GPFI Menu of Policy Options Report focusing on digital financial literacy, as well as financial consumer and MSME protection. The report is expected to be finalized and published later this year.
The event will be livestreamed on the Bank of Italy’s website. Click here for more info.