Ban Ki-moon to address UN insurance sector summit
Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations (UN) secretary-general, is set to deliver an opening keynote address at the UN insurance sector summit, taking place today, June 17, 2015.
The summit, which is expected to bring together 500 representatives from the insurance industry, governments, academia and international organisations, will highlight the unique role and responsibility of the insurance sector to enhance resilience, sustainable economic development and human well-being.
Anders Sundström, chair, and Shaun Tarbuck, chief executive officer (CEO), of the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) will take part in leaders’ debates during the summit along with key leaders from the UN and the insurance sector.
Convened by the International Insurance Society (IIS) and the UN Office for Partnerships (UNOP), the event will “showcase existing collaborative initiatives and inspire further engagement with the UN to mitigate global humanitarian disasters, climate change risks and support for sustainable economies”.
Tarbuck said: “The insurance industry holds one third of the world’s investible assets and the mutual and cooperative sector accounts for almost a third of that which equates to around USD 8 trillion. Our sector has been quick to respond to recent calls for leadership from the United Nations in the climate change debate, as by nature our members want to be more accountable.
“Our sector has been the fastest growing part of the industry, with premium growth since 2007 at 28 percent compared to the rest of the market which grew by 12 percent. Our members are close to the communities that they serve and therefore they are better equipped to understand the risks they manage. These businesses have great leaders who are ready to develop sustainable solutions to abate one of the greatest threats this planet has ever faced; climate change.”
Mike Morrissey, president and CEO of IIS, said: "We are honoured that the UN Secretary-General will address our members and the wider international community at this summit. The insurance industry and world leaders face a shared challenge: to understand risk, create resilience and enable sustainable development to support well-being and dignity for communities world-wide. This summit will define a shared agenda post 2015 and deepen the partnership between our institutions.”
