Riyadh, February 01, 2024, Ayman Al-Sayari, the Governor of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), welcomed European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde at the SAMA headquarters in Riyadh. The meeting provided an opportunity for the two financial leaders to engage in discussions regarding recent developments in central banking and the overall outlook for the global economy.
Alongside the visit, various events were organized, including a high-level panel discussion titled "Interconnectedness and Increasing Capital Flow." Both Al-Sayari and Lagarde actively participated in the panel discussions, which delved into macro-financial vulnerabilities and risks associated with growing interconnectedness. The discourse also covered regulatory and supervisory efforts aimed at mitigating potential systemic risks resulting from the complexity of this interconnection, as well as strategies for managing trade-offs between financial system openness and associated risks.
As part of the visit's activities, a seminar on "Women’s Empowerment within Central Banks" was conducted. This seminar featured speeches by SAMA’s governor and the ECB’s president and was moderated by Ms. Sheila Alrowaily, a member of SAMA’s board of directors. The seminar emphasized the pivotal role of central banks in empowering women within the financial sector. Discussions focused on the collaborative efforts needed to advance female leadership across the entire financial landscape and addressed measures to ensure fairness and transparency for women in the workplace. This comprehensive engagement reflects a commitment to fostering cooperation and dialogue on crucial financial and socio-economic issues.
