The Liaison Office for North Africa and the Liaison Office for Arab Countries came together to organize a technical seminar on social security reforms, which resulted in rich discussions and exchanges of experiences between member institutions covered by these offices.
The ISSA Technical seminar on approaches to the reform of social security systems in North Africa and the Arab countries was hosted in Luxor by the National Organization for Social Insurance of Egypt, 16–18 October 2023. Member institutions of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) from 11 Arabic-speaking countries across the North Africa and Middle East region (MENA) shared their experiences and took part in the discussions.
A key conclusion from the event was that new information and communication technologies, and the widespread penetration of mobile telephony, are assets for reforming social security systems and extending coverage to uncovered groups. To maximize results, organizations must consider the digital divide by developing suitable solutions for all groups. At the same time, they need to work toward strengthening the culture of social security.
This was the first time the two liaison offices organized a joint event, which was a very positive experience. Also, the heads of delegations from all institutions met to discuss capacity building opportunities in the region, which will be followed up in cooperation with the ISSA Secretariat.