##cing the need for a more dynamic private sector and, therefore, the imperative to promote entrepreneurship, self - employment and diversi ed sources of income. again nance, in this regard, would be critical. fi fi fi fi distinguished guests, as a fourth element, in the modern day, progression with respect to nancial / economic inclusion, shift in the growth potential, and bene cial global linkages has to involve internet connectivity and digitisation. therefore, i note with satisfaction, the shift towards provision of banking services by absa bank through digital platforms. this eases the conduct of transactions and processing, especially in a geographically dispersed and thinly populated area, such as the okavango region. it should also address the hitherto apparent diminution of services as public servants and other service providers occasionally depart from their stations here in shakawe to travel long distances for banking services in gumare and / or even as far as maun. however, for such transition to be effective, it requires adaptation by customers, a secure environment and maintenance of process integrity, as well as availability of connectivity and continuous functionality of infrastructure and facilities. this is important for both domestic and customer service processes and for integrity and sustainability of global value chain and markets linkages. again, in this instance, i recognise the positive response by banks, including absa bank, in reducing transaction charges for use of electronic and digital banking services in order to sustain access and use of services, as well as ease the transition to digital platforms at a time when movements were restricted, and social distancing enforced to mitigate the spread of covid - 19. fi fi i would also like to highlight, as the fth area, the customer relationships that are important for safe, sound and sustainable banking arrangements. these include measured pace of the transition to digital platforms that takes into account customer capabilities and preferences, availability of backbone infrastructure and connectivity. i must be quick to indicate, managing director and chairman of absa that this movement towards digital platforms should not result in abrupt closure of brick - andmortar branches without providing more cost - effective alternative channels for maintenance of high - quality banking services. indeed, there is need for continued maintenance of functionality, resilience and uptime of electronic services, both for customer convenience and system integrity ( 24 / 7 availability as promised ). there is also a need for compliance with respect to business conduct and fair practices, as well as disclosure requirements, know - your

s art collection 1 / 3 bis - central bankers'speeches its foundations were laid around 70 years ago, in the mid - 1950s. back then, the bank deutscher lander was the central bank for allied - occupied germany's western zones. the occupying powers, the united states and the united kingdom, had established it in 1948 with the mandate to maintain the stability of the new currency, the deutsche mark. this was before the formation of the federal republic of germany, the democratic state in western germany, in 1949. in 1957, the stability mandate for the deutsche mark was transferred to the newly established deutsche bundesbank. dedicated leaders from both institutions worked to ensure that the central bank, as a major public institution, contributed to the promotion of art and culture in the young democratic federal republic of germany. first, they wanted to directly support artists by purchasing their work. second, they wanted to give bundesbank staff the chance to encounter contemporary art in the workplace. placed in its historical context, this vigorous commitment to art and culture makes sense. under the national socialist dictatorship, artists who had devoted themselves to modern art movements had no longer been able to exhibit publicly. they lost their professorships at art schools. many emigrated. their works were removed from museums and banned as " degenerate ". in post - war germany, great interest in art and culture emerged just a few years after the end of the second world war, national socialism and after the shoah. this broadbased cultural awakening was accompanied by a general desire for a fresh start. the german artists sought connection with the art movements in europe and the united states. the idea was for art to serve as a bridge. it stood for freedom and participation in universal western values. moreover, it was hoped that the young generation, through dealing with new and unusual works of art, would be able to familiarise itself with openness and democratic practices. it was against this background that informalism developed in germany. the artists sought an intensive exchange with the french informal art and us abstract expressionism. in their works, they chose a new formal language – it was non - figurative. there was no foreground, no background, and no middle. instead, the central focus was on the painting process itself. karl otto gotz, for example, used broad paintbrushes to create his dynamic compositions with just a few strokes. the " new expressionist " exhibition in the zimmergalerie franck was an important milestone