Queen
Máxima of the Netherlands will travel to Pakistan next week in her
capacity as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive
Finance for Development (UNSGSA). In Pakistan she will promote financial inclusion and support the implementation of the country’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy.
Queen Máxima last month already met briefly with Paklistan's
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Davos, Switzerland, to lay the foundation
for the visit. The visit to Pakistan follows earlier and similar work
visits to Bangladesh, the Philippines, Myanmar, China, Peru, Colombia,
Tanzania and Ethiopia, among others.
The queen's visit will begin in Islamabad on Tuesday, when she will meet with Ashraf Mahmood Wathra, governor of the
State Bank of Pakistan,
and representatives of public and private banks to discuss their role
in making financial services available. In the afternoon, Queen Máxima
and Dr Jim Yong Kim, president of the
World Bank Group, will attend the Universal Financial Access workshop held by the State Bank.
The World Bank is currently preparing a program to support the
implementation of Pakistan’s national strategy over the next five years.
Pakistan has a well-organized financial system but the use of formal
services is very low, particularly among women, farmers, and small
businesses.
During her visit the queen will also meet President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. ©
RB
