The use of rigorous, objective and reliable data helps to accurately assess the state of financial inclusion, set realistic goals, identify obstacles, design relevant policies and monitor and assess the impact. Based on this premise, several international initiatives have been launched to contribute to the development of standard indicators and study tools in order to better understand the components of financial inclusion and better analyze their impact on financial stability and integrity as well as on economic development and the population’s wellbeing. It is within this framework that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have developed surveys specifically designed to assess financial inclusion from the “supply” and “demand” side. The Global Findex is currently the most comprehensive global database to assess the financial behavior of individuals by analyzing the use of financial services in nearly 140 countries. 3  The IMF’s Financial Access Survey, conducted annually since 2009, is another important source of data on financial inclusion. It provides an overview of the availability and use of financial services by individuals and firms by collecting appropriate information from various providers of financial services. Data collected through these surveys have enabled policymakers in several countries to benefit from the opportunities identified to further promote financial inclusion. They also provide analysts with a reliable basis for understanding the causal links between financial inclusion and financial stability, on the one hand, and between inequality and economic growth, on the other.

Satellite Seminar on Financial Inclusion held in conjunction with the 61st World Statistics Congress  Opening remarks by Mr. Abdellatif JOUAHRI Governor of Bank Al-Maghrib Marrakech, July 14, 2017  1  “While data is important, the right data is essential” Albert Einstein  Honorable Chair of the Irving Fisher Committee, Honorable Governor of the BEAC, Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen, It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to Morocco on the occasion of this international seminar on financial inclusion, which will focus on data and their important role in developing policies and strategies that take into account on-the-ground realities and then measuring and assessing the impact of these policies. First of all, I would like to thank our partners, the Irving Fisher Committee on Central Bank Statistics and the Center for Latin American Monetary Studies for their valuable contribution to the organization of this event, held as usual on the sidelines of the 61st World Statistics Congress. The topic of our meeting further underscores the importance that central banks and international standardization bodies attach to financial inclusion. It is a subject that is of increasing interest to them, particularly with regard to its interactions with financial stability, resulting in hindering the policies put in place to develop access to and use of financial services. A sustainable and efficient financial inclusion requires a long-lasting balance between innovation and the safeguards that need to be developed in order to ensure the soundness of the financial sector.