Salutations
- Dr. Eliki Boletawa, Director, Policy Programs and Implementation, Alliance for Financial Inclusion
- PIRI Member Institutions and Distinguished Delegates
- Esteemed Delegates, Speakers, Partners and Stakeholders
- Ladies, Gentlemen, and dear Colleagues
Talofa lava and a warm good morning to you all!
On behalf of the Central Bank of Samoa, it is my pleasure to extend our Samoan hospitality and warmest welcome to each of you here in the beautiful surroundings of Taumeasina. We are truly grateful to host this Regional Workshop and Training on RegTech and SupTech—an event that underscores our region’s steadfast commitment to advancing digital financial inclusion for all Pacific Islanders.
Over the past year, the diagnostic study led by AFI and our PIRI partners has shed light on the opportunities, challenges, and critical next steps needed to build a shared SupTech platform. This platform, envisioned as an inclusive digital infrastructure, holds the promise of enabling us to collect data in real time, conduct risk-based supervision, and strengthen our oversight capabilities. Today marks a pivotal milestone in moving from diagnostic findings into regional collaboration and practical implementation.
With over 40 institutions and jurisdictions representing the Pacific Islands and Africa here today, all with valuable insights, knowledge, and ideas; we are presented with the opportunity to reshape not just the tools of supervision but the very philosophy that underpins how we safeguard our financial systems.
Therefore, today’s forum is for us to share insights from the diagnostic study, validate the proposed blueprint, and ensure our roadmap reflects each country’s unique priorities, and in the next two days, we will transition into hands-on training sessions covering RegTech and SupTech fundamentals, real-world case studies like the Bank Supervision Application (BSA), and interactive exercises on adopting and scaling these solutions within our respective jurisdictions.
By the end of these three days, I hope we have a clear and collective understanding of how to move forward with a robust SupTech platform that harmonizes efforts across the Pacific.
As we all know, our region faces both age-old and emerging challenges:
- De-risking and de-banking concerns limit the ability of our citizens to access global financial networks.
- Climate change demands timely data to safeguard vulnerable communities and ensure environmental resilience.
- High costs and operational fragmentation strain our resources, making collaboration essential.
Through this SupTech journey, together as a collective with a single vision, we can aspire to:
- Modernize Supervisory Processes: Transform manual or fragmented oversight methods into efficient, technology-enabled workflows.
- Elevate Financial Inclusion: Ensure the benefits of digitization reach women, MSMEs, youth, and rural populations, bridging the existing gaps in access and usage.
- Maintain Financial Integrity & Stability: Offer a platform for data-driven policymaking, risk-based supervision, and consumer protection—especially vital in small island economies.
- Foster Regional Cooperation: Support a unified digital ecosystem that pools resources and amplifies impact beyond national boundaries.
The Pacific Islands Regional Initiative (PIRI) has demonstrated time and again that our strongest asset is our collective spirit—the willingness to learn from one another, share best practices, and advance together. This workshop symbolizes that spirit. Over the next days, I implore you to:
- Embrace Inclusivity: Recognize that strong regional solutions require us to hear diverse voices—particularly those of smaller islands and underserved communities.
- Champion Innovation: Our ability to navigate the digital future rests on experimentation, knowledge-sharing, and robust governance—especially in adopting or adapting innovative SupTech solutions.
- Ensure Sustainability: Securing donor and funding partnerships is crucial, but so is the long-term viability of these solutions. Our discussions and technical sessions will help shape a strategy that endures beyond pilot phases.
Distinguished delegates, this gathering is a testament to the power of collaboration and the value of continuous engagement among regulators and stakeholders. I encourage you all to embrace this chance to learn from one another, share insights, and together, pave the way for a more inclusive financial future for all.
That said, after the next few days, let us maintain open lines of communication and collectively identify challenges, explore new opportunities, and seek pathways to implement solutions that enhance financial inclusion across the Pacific.
As I conclude this morning, I invite you, distinguished colleagues, please reflect upon the significance of our gathering, and in the spirit of our collective resolve, engage and share diverse perspectives, challenge assumptions, and discover common ground ensuring that suptech becomes the foundation for resilient, data-driven, and equitable financial supervision across the Pacific.
May our discussions be fruitful and transformative. Faafetai tele lava! Thank you!