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Media Release: The Bank of Mauritius launches its Financial Literacy Strategy

28 January 2022

The Bank has today launched its Financial Literacy Strategy. The launch ceremony was attended by CEOs of banks, and live streamed for the benefit of local and overseas viewers.

In his introductory address, Bank of Mauritius Governor Harvesh Seegolam underlined the Bank’s focus on educating and protecting consumers of banking and financial products across different age groups, both in Mauritius and Rodrigues. Governor Seegolam stated that in ‘devising its Financial Literacy Strategy, the Bank has endeavoured to create content that will meet the requirements of a wide target audience, encompassing our youth, active population and senior citizens’. He added that “The strategy also brings to the fore the dynamic and technology-driven banking environment in which consumers of financial products are evolving”.

The launch event saw the virtual participation of Ms Flore-Anne Messy, Executive Secretary of the OECD International Network for Financial Education, as keynote Speaker. Ms. Messy commended the Bank of Mauritius for scaling its efforts to increase financial literacy in the country through the National Financial Literacy and Inclusion campaign. She stated that “Bank of Mauritius’ growing efforts in developing financial literacy and inclusion policies and initiatives are timely and welcome, and will certainly contribute to enhancing the financial resilience and financial well-being of individuals and households”.

The second edition of the Bank of Mauritius Thought Leadership Series panel discussion was also held in the context of the launch of the strategy. The panellists for this session entitled ‘Financial Literacy in a Digital Era’ were:

  • Mrs Hemlata Sadhna Sewraj-Gopal, Second Deputy of the Bank of Mauritius
  • Dr Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
  • Dr Robert Wardrop, Director and co-founder of the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, University of Cambridge
  • Mr John Cusack, Chairman of the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime.

During the event, the first of a series of consumer education electronic booklets was launched on a dedicated Financial Literacy section on the Bank’s website. The web page, which can be accessed by clicking here, will be updated with additional informative documents on a fortnightly basis.