Toespraak van Prinses Máxima bij de lancering van het Nationaal Actieplan voor 'Financial Inclusion' bij de Braziliaanse MKB-organisatie SEBRAE in Brasilia, Brazilië
De toespraak is uitgesproken in het Engels.
Good afternoon Excellencies, Governor Tombini, Mr. dos Santos, Ladies and Gentlemen.
First of all, let me thank Mr. dos Santos for hosting us on this very important day for financial inclusion in Brazil. Six years ago I came to Brazil to discuss the issues of microcredit. Nearly four years ago, I joined Banco Central do Brasil and many partners at the first National Forum on Financial Inclusion. Little did I imagine that we would be together again to launch Brazil's first national Action Plan on Financial Inclusion. What wonderful momentum and progress you have created.
In my work, I have the honor of visiting many countries and speaking with many people to understand what kinds of financial services exist, what impact do they make and what more needs to be done. I have to say that worldwide in the last years, the recognition that financial inclusion makes a very big difference for families, businesses and whole communities has grown tremendously-recognizing that poor people need a whole array of financial products and not only credit. And, that this is not only for individuals but also for small and medium-sized enterprises. As you all know, SMEs are the local engines of job creation and economic growth in any country. And this is of course no different in Brazil.
I can also tell you how much Brazil's experiences have inspired other countries and how exciting it is to see that the correspondent model has especially led to further innovation and real progress worldwide. Every country is different, however. Thus the priorities and approaches are also different. In countries like Kenya and the Philippines, it is the mobile phone that has altered how people perform financial transactions. In Peru and Malaysia, there is a very strong emphasis on consumer protection through transparency and strong supervision. In Mexico, careful regulations have overcome long-standing barriers such as lack of identification and also lack of SME finance. In India, initiatives with health insurance and housing finance are showing the benefits of tailoring financial services to specific needs of low-income clients and to local contexts.