72 DEVELOPMENT
H.M. Queen Máxima of the
Netherlands, UN Secretary-General’s
Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance
for Development Speech to the 3rd
meeting of the UN’s Group of Friends
of Financial Inclusion
Good morning Excellencies,
distinguished delegates, and
guests. I am very pleased
to participate in the third
meeting of the Group of Friends
of Financial Inclusion. Thank you
all for making the time to be here
this morning. And a big thanks to
Ambassador Percaya for hosting
us again in Indonesia’s mission
MAKING THE CASE FOR
FINANCIAL INCLUSION
IN THE POST-2015
DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
and for delivering such a thorough
welcoming speech.
Since we last met more than a year ago, I have
continued to advocate for greater financial inclusion
in country visits to India, China, and Myanmar, and
in meetings and events in Basel with the global
standard-setting bodies, at the World Economic
Forum, and the spring meetings of the World Bank.
In all those trips I witnessed first-hand the progress
and opportunity of financial inclusion as well as the
increasing attention the issue is being given at every
level.
I am especially pleased that financial inclusion has
continued to be recognized as a central piece
of the Post-2015 and financing for development
tracks. As you know, both streams prominently
acknowledge financial inclusion as an important
enabler of key sustainable development goals
such as ending poverty and hunger, empowering
women, and stimulating economic growth. They
also highlight in impressive detail the financial
inclusion policies and instruments that can help
people fully achieve many of the goals that will be
part of the new development agenda.