caroline abel : closing remarks - incoming chairperson of the african financial inclusion policy initiative vote of thanks and closing remarks by ms caroline abel, governor of central bank of seychelles, at the 10th african financial inclusion policy initiative ( afpi ) meetings and leaders roundtable, arusha, 23 june 2022. * * * professor florens luoga, outgoing chairperson and governor of the bank of tanzania ; dr. alfred hannig, executive director of the alliance for financial inclusion ; governors and deputy governors ; ladies and gentleman ; good afternoon. i am honoured to address you once again as we end this year's afpi leaders roundtable, which concludes four days of intensive, engaging and fruitful discussions on a subject deemed important for our respective countries and the region. financial inclusion - more importantly, digital financial inclusion - as a key driver of economic growth and stability cannot be overemphasised. and i am sure that the engagements throughout this week have reaffirmed our resolve and increased our commitment to pursue this objective. while the digitalisation of our economies was already underway, the nature of the covid - 19 pandemic has undoubtedly propelled the acceleration of our digital transformation efforts, finding some of us ready for this new reality and signalling a reality check for others. over the past four days, we have had the opportunity to take stock of the progress made and identify further actions needed to achieve our objectives amidst an everevolving financial landscape and economic environment. it has been refreshing to learn about what is happening across the continent – from the innovative regulatory and supervisory solutions to the electronic kyc and digital identity innovations that some of our members are implementing to advance financial inclusion. i am aware that links have been established amongst members present for further peer learning going forward, as we have drawn inspiration from the success stories that have been shared, of how the digital transformation is creating opportunities and bringing numerous benefits for the various groups within our economies. these endeavours surely present us with the opportunity to renew our commitment to work on overcoming the challenges and barriers that still exist to ensure that no one is left behind. we have had prolonged discussions on numerous topics, but i believe we can all agree that a key takeaway is that it is not enough to simply make digital financial services and products available. they need to be convenient, fast, affordable, reliable and safe. they 1 / 3 bis - central bankers'speeches need to be tailored to meet the needs of the various segments of our society, from individuals

fits all approach to more informed and effective policies, which will lead to the implementation of the targetted solutions that will address identified gaps. 2 / 3 bis - central bankers'speeches i look forward to the commitment and support of all members as we start working towards the realisation of these deliverables. as i end my remarks, i would like to once again commend the outgoing chairperson, professor luoga, governor of the bank of tanzania, for taking us to this juncture and for his continued support as we pursue the journey. i also look forward to work with the vice - chair – the governor of the bank of ghana. i also take this opportunity to thank afi and the bank of tanzania for hosting this year's meetings, which have brought us face to face for the first time after two years of virtual meetings and express appreciation to the bank of tanzania and the afi teams for the hospitality extended to all delegates. your warmth and valuable assistance have helped make this event a success and our stay in this beautiful country truly pleasant and memorable. please convey our gratitude to other stakeholders who have contributed to the successful organisation of this event. finally, i would also like to thank all of you present for your valuable contributions to the discussions that have taken place this week. i wish you all a safe return to your homelands and every success in your endeavours to enhance digital financial inclusion and access to financial services for the continued economic growth and stability of your respective countries and the region. i look forward to welcoming you to seychelles in 2023 for us to take stock of what we have been able to achieve and set the course for the next chapter of our journey to further advance the financial inclusion agenda. thank you! and as we say in tanzania – asante! 3 / 3 bis - central bankers'speeches