The initiative features a wide range of awareness-raising activities aimed at increasing investor knowledge and maintaining investor rights.
H.E. Dr. Obaid Saif Al Zaabi, the CEO of the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), said that SCA is planning to participate in events organized as part of the 2018 World Investor Week.
He added that “being an active member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), SCA has received an invitation to take part in the World Investor Week initiative that will kick-off on the first Week to be launched in the first week of October. Participants in the initiative include regulators and supervisory authorities representing 70 member states. The initiative aims at raising investor awareness and protecting investor rights through the combined effort of supervisory authorities of all member states. It also aims at utilizing the various communication channels and digital media to promote investment culture, enhance awareness and highlight the role assigned to regulators and financial markets in protecting investors".
Dr. Al Zaabi explained that the events of the World Investor Week will take place in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai and will feature a seminar on the role played by market actors in inspiring investment performance. The seminar will bring together UAE stock market officials, financial experts and analysts, brokers, investors, academics, media people, and specialists in securities market legislation. The events will also include awareness raising seminars for university students and female investors as well as field tours to ADX's and DFM's trading floors. The World Investor Week, running from October 01 to 08, will also witness intensified awareness-raising campaigns and activities, such as an awareness contest launched on social networking websites and daily awareness tips posted on satellite channels and published in newspapers in all participating countries".
Dr. Al Zaabi stressed that the “SCA is looking forward to ensure success of this global event which will promote the image and status of our country as a significant regional and international financial hub at regional and international levels, fulfilling the UAE vision to be among the best in the world". “The Week's events were designed to build on the knowledge and skills of stock-market traders in a manner that helps achieve a better market performance," he added.
It is worth mentioning that IOSCO which was established in 1983 is recognized as the global standard-setter for the securities sectors. Its membership includes securities regulators, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and several financial and monetary institutions. It has over 200 members, including 115 securities regulators and supervisory authorities. IOSCO's membership regulators oversee more than 95% of the securities markets across the world.
IOSCO seeks to enhance cooperation among its member states, develop regulatory standards, and maintain fair, efficient and transparent transactions, and to strengthen the exchange of information among its members and ensure harmonization of regulatory standards. IOSCO also endeavors to enhance investor protection and promote investor confidence in the soundness of stock markets through information exchange and enhancing supervisory cooperation, enforcement against misconduct, as well as oversight of markets and brokers.
IOSCO also works on coordination between its member states on setting, implementing and enhancing compliance with the internationally recognized standards. It encourages the sharing of information at the regional and international levels to help the development of securities markets, enhance market infrastructure, and enact appropriate legislation.
