The Forum, which was held in Abu Dhabi this week, brought together over 160 senior representatives from the financial industry. Sessions focused on how financial institutions can shape the future of the industry, with the central theme being ‘Building for the future: Regulation, innovation and the transformation of banking.’ Delegates debated the challenges and opportunities the financial sector is facing in the region.
For each of its events, SWIFT sponsors a cause within the framework of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. For the Business Forum UAE, SWIFT is supporting the emergency project in Syria that provides shelter and family reunification to protect the rights of unaccompanied and separated children in the Tartus coastal area.
The project will last three years, and includes vaccination sessions and general health checks, education for children and adolescents, art therapy activities, social support through psycho-social specialists and training for children on prevention of child trafficking, child labour, recruitment of child-soldiers and gender based violence.
The project also helps trace children’s families. The focus lies on finding long-term solutions, assessing the risks for the child and ensuring successful integration of children in their biological or extended families. These objectives will equip the children with skills and capacities not only to survive the crisis, but also to rebuild social cohesion at their household and community level.
Khaled Moharem, Head of Middle East, North Africa at SWIFT, said: “SWIFT has a long history of supporting local charities at its conferences and as part of its active social contribution programme. We are delighted to support the Syrian Arab Association for SOS Children’s Villages and help promote its excellent work in the community.”
About SWIFT:
SWIFT is a global member-owned cooperative and the world’s leading provider of secure financial messaging services. We provide our community with a platform for messaging, standards for communicating and we offer products and services to facilitate access and integration; identification, analysis and financial crime compliance. Our messaging platform, products and services connect more than 11,000 banking and securities organisations, market infrastructures and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories, enabling them to communicate securely and exchange standardised financial messages in a reliable way. As their trusted provider, we facilitate global and local financial flows, support trade and commerce all around the world; we relentlessly pursue operational excellence and continually seek ways to lower costs, reduce risks and eliminate operational inefficiencies. Headquartered in Belgium, SWIFT’s international governance and oversight reinforces the neutral, global character of its cooperative structure. SWIFT’s global office network ensures an active presence in all the major financial centres.
