On 5 and 6 November, AFI and the Central Bank of Suriname (CBvS) held a National Financial Inclusion and Education Strategy workshop in Paramaribo.

Participants reviewed progress against Suriname’s National Financial Inclusion and Education Strategy (NFIES). Launched in June 2024, the NFIES aims to improve access to financial services, expand financial education, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and support entrepreneurship, innovation and technology.

CBvS Governor Maurice Roemer said the event “marks an important step in our national journey toward financial inclusion. Together with our partners, we continue to build a future in which everyone, regardless of their background or income level, has access to appropriate financial services that contribute to prosperity and development.”

Nangi Massawe from Bank of Tanzania, chair of Tanzania’s National Secretariat for Financial Inclusion, and Gender Focal Point on AFI’s Financial Inclusion Strategy Peer Learning Group, shared lessons from her country’s experience, and facilitated breakout groups to identify priorities for Suriname.

“We have set priority actions encompassing digital payments, financial literacy, data and monitoring, SME support, and women’s empowerment,” said AFI’s Regional Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, Zaira Badillo. “We’ve identified opportunities to foster stronger synergies among ministries, regulators, and the private sector. Most importantly, we’ve built a renewed sense of shared purpose. The NFIES is now embraced as a truly collective effort, with every stakeholder recognizing their role in driving it forward.”