National Provident Fund chief in Malaysia pushing Samoa’s agenda

04 October 2018, 12:00AM

Samoa is being represented at the International Social Security Association (I.S.S.A.) triennial Asia Pacific regional conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

The C.E.O. of the Samoa National Provident Fund, Pauli Prince Suhren is there. 

I.S.S.A. is the world’s leading international organisation for social security institutions, government departments and agencies. 

The organisation promotes excellence in social security administration to enable its members to develop dynamic social security systems and policies throughout the world. Founded in 1927, ISSA is under the auspices of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. 

 “I.S.S.A. has 320+ member organisations from 160 countries covering 3 billion people on the planet,” said Pauli. 

“The investment portfolio of its members amounts to more than $6 trillion US dollars and so one can easily imagine why it’s crucial for relatively miniscule institutions like S.N.P.F. and small countries like Samoa to have presence and to be engaged in this kind of forum. It helps us to have recognition in the world and to punch above our weight. Most importantly, it helps us to have access to this level of experience, expert knowledge and support that we would otherwise never have access to.”

Pauli is also there representing the Pacific Islands Investments Forum (P.I.I.F.) which is the pan-pacific association for provident funds and social security organisations. 

“As a member of the Board for P.I.I.F., it is imperative that the voice of small Pacific islands social security organisations is heard loud and clear here,” he said. 

“The South Pacific is the only sub-region in the world that remains under-represented in I.S.S.A. and after discussions with the President of I.S.S.A. here at the Forum, that is a situation we want to rectify quickly in the coming years”. 

According to Pauli, part of this process of Pacific engagement includes intensive discussions with I.S.S.A. to hold its next triennial regional Asia-Pacific conference in Samoa in 2021 – what would be a first for Samoa as well as the Pacific.

04 October 2018, 12:00AM
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