Wednesday, 22 November 2023, 15:00–16:30 (UTC/GMT+1 or CET)

Languages: Simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish (Simultaneous interpretation – Frequently asked questions)

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to have long-term impacts on social security systems and established a premise for new dynamics in liquidity management and investment of social security funds. Primarily, the outbreak of the pandemic heightened the demand for benefits and services leading to increased financial strains on social security systems.

At the same time, measures imposed to curb the spread of the virus provoked economic downturns leading to massive job losses and hikes in unemployment rates. In other instances, the cancellation, reduction, and/or deferral of social security contributions as a fiscal stimulus measure to protect jobs, promote economic resilience and support economic recovery translated to a drop in social security contributions with direct impacts on the liquidity of social security institutions. 

Despite the apparent liquidity constraints, the pandemic equally provided an opportunity for improved investments due to the drop in stock prices. Considering the imperative to respond to the social security needs of affected and infected individuals, social security institutions were confronted with the challenge of taking on new investment opportunities amidst growing liquidity constraints.   

Join us for this ISSA webinar that will look at liquidity management and investment of social security funds during COVID-19, analysing the lessons learned for a post-pandemic context.

Speakers

	Patricia Laurence N’Guessan Koizan Gbani, Director of Investments and Financial Structuring, IPS National Social Insurance Fund (IPS CNPS), Côte d’Ivoire
	Stewart Haynes, Director, National Insurance Services (NIS), St. Vincent and the Grenadines

This webinar will examine the following questions:

• What were the main financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on contributory social security schemes?
• How did social institution schemes respond to the increased financial requirement to finance benefits amidst the decline in financial inflows?
• How did social security schemes establish the balance between securing sufficient liquidity and taking advantage of declining stock values to acquire new assets?
• What are adjustments made to liquidity holdings and investment strategies in the post COVID-19 era to ensure the financial viability and long-term sustainability of social security schemes?

Agenda

• Welcome by Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano, Secretary General, ISSA
• Technical introduction by the ISSA
• Case experience of IPS CNPS, Côte d’Ivoire
• Case experience of NIS, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Q&A – Discussion
• Conclusions

Moderated by Paul Mondoa Ngomba, Technical Specialist in Social Security, ISSA

Practical information

The webinar is open to delegates of ISSA member organizations and invited institutions without registration fees.