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Monday 13 February RNW - NEWS AND ANALYSIS FROM THE NETHERLANDS IN 10 LANGUAGES, WORLDWIDE 24/7 ON RADIO, TV AND ONLINE
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Princess Máxima advisor on microfinance at UN

Published on : 22 September 2009 - 4:54pm | By RNW News Desk
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The Netherlands' Crown Princess Máxima has been appointed special advisor to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon. Her field of expertise: finance and development. The Argentinian born princess - wife of Prince Willem-Alexander, first in line to the Dutch throne - will strive to make financial services globally available to everyone, including the very poor.
 

 
Máxima isn't new to this field; she has in the past held several positions promoting microcredit: small loans for would-be entrepreneurs who have a hard time getting a loan from a bank. She also has work experience in the financial sector. Before she met the Dutch Crown Prince she worked for several banks in New York's financial district, Wall Street.

In the Netherlands the princess occupies a seat in the 'Council for Micro Finance'. Fellow member Klaas Molenaar, director of 'Triodos facet' which deals specifically with microcredit, is 'happy and honoured' on behalf of the council.

Mr Molenaar thinks Máxima could be very effective in her new function at the UN. He believes she can - as a princess and a very public figure - attract institutions which - until now - haven't cooperated when it comes to helping the poor financially.

Discussion

Yazmin Lunmir 5 October 2009 - 2:10pm
I do not understand Molenaar comment on microcredit-entrepreneurs that " they see the current financial crisis as belonging to others". I think that in the light of 20 years past of financial speculation providing mortgages to the poor in USA for example, we have learned some lessons v.g.: it is better to live within our means. For sub-prime mortgages , are also " financial instruments " that have also been available to the poor by banks and FI (financial institutions). They have been a resounding failure to deminish/extinguish poverty and yet have provided phenomenal profits to banks and financial institutions (through derivatives). This same financial institutions and banks are currently been "rescued' and the numbers of US dollars poured down to the "rescue" are counting by trillions... (where does this money come from?) I think that given the lessons learned we should consider adding a manual to the financial instrument kit available to the poor, hence: education to the poor on how to profit from microcredit. Otherwise I am afraid that microcredit will leave a trail of failed microenterprises (for "infant mortality" of enterprises carried out by starters accounts two digits-figures anywhere on this planet). Yes! It might turn into great business for financial institutions and a "sense of self confidence" (I did not know that self confidence derived from our all mighty financial system!) to the poor. We can look at it another way and regard this micro-loans as consumption loans, 'cause the poor sets off for the first time in a business without much or any knowledge about entrepreneurship/market/legal framework/biz administration. Hence, doomed to failure... I always thought that in this age of mankind poverty should be regarded as a social sickness rather than "high business potential' as Princess Maxima put it. By the way, have you seen who are behind Qredits? Any comment is appreciated, starting now. Yazmin
Peter 22 September 2009 - 9:17pm
Is she the one that was trying to avoid paying taxes by having offshore companies?

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