Paramaribo, Suriname – The Central Bank of Suriname (CBvS) has kicked off a three-day international gathering of global financial policymakers in Paramaribo, centered on a core mission: strengthening the financial resilience of ordinary Surinamese citizens and upgrading consumer protection frameworks for a fast-digitizing national economy.
This event marks the 31st in-person Consumer Empowerment & Market Conduct Working Group Meeting hosted by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion, running from June 15 to 17 at Paramaribo’s Hotel Torarica. This year’s gathering carries the overarching theme of Advancing Gender Equity and Empowerment, bringing together policy representatives from dozens of developing nations to share on-the-ground insights and actionable strategies around three critical pillars: expanded financial inclusion, robust consumer protection, and responsible public financial policy.
Vanessa D’Costa-Chehin, head of the Financial Inclusion & Education division at CBvS, told attendees that meaningful financial inclusion extends far beyond simply opening a basic bank account for unbanked populations. In an era of rapidly scaling digital financial services, she argues the most pressing challenges lie in building public financial literacy and putting proactive consumer safeguards in place. “We cannot keep pushing financial innovation without centering the needs and safety of consumers,” D’Costa-Chehin explained. “Financial services must be secure and inspire public trust. Consumer protection is non-negotiable as we expand access to digital financial tools across the country.”
Financial education is framed as a foundational component of CBvS’s broader inclusion strategy. Dion Mokkum, an IT specialist working with the central bank, emphasized that early preparation for responsible financial decision-making is key to empowering younger generations. Outreach initiatives like the global Global Money Week campaign, he noted, play a critical role in teaching young people core habits around saving, entrepreneurial planning, and responsible money management from an early age.
Andrew Baasaron, Suriname’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation, reinforced the government’s commitment to building a secure, trustworthy digital financial ecosystem. He highlighted that efficient, accessible payment systems are a lifeline for the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises, stressing that the benefits of national economic growth must reach small business owners and everyday citizens, not just large corporate entities.
These priorities align directly with the CBvS’s ongoing policy agenda. Through two key frameworks – the updated National Financial Inclusion and Education Strategy (NFIES) action plan and the national Payment Strategy 2026-2030 – the central bank is working to deliver faster payment infrastructure, secure digital identification solutions, and expanded access to formal financial services for all populations, including communities in remote inland areas of Suriname that have long been underserved by traditional financial institutions.
CBvS Governor Maurice Roemer, speaking at the official opening of the summit, reiterated that financial technology and innovation must ultimately serve the needs of all Surinamese society. “At its core, financial inclusion is about people,” Roemer said. “It is about entrepreneurs looking to grow their small businesses, farmers in remote regions gaining access to the financial tools they need, women and young people gaining stronger footing to participate in the national economy, and families building greater long-term financial security for their households.”
Beyond facilitating global knowledge sharing between developing nations, the summit serves as a launching pad for CBvS’s next phase of policy work: building a more inclusive, secure, and accessible financial system that delivers tangible benefits to all residents of Suriname.