Dr. Islam Azzam, Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority, visited Cairo National University as part of the Authority’s efforts to raise awareness among young people and spread financial literacy among youth and university students, following a visit by a delegation of professors and students headed by Dr. Mohamed Sami Abdel Sadek, President of Cairo University, to the Authority’s headquarters with the aim of learning about its activities and refining academic studies.

The visit included an extensive meeting with the students, during which the head of the authority provided a simplified and intensive explanation of the role of the General Authority for Financial Supervision and its competencies in supervising and monitoring the capital market, the insurance sector, and non-banking financing activities in all their forms, including consumer finance, real estate finance, financial leasing, factoring, microfinance, and financing for small and medium enterprises.

Dr. Islam Azzam, Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority, said that the Authority believes that spreading financial literacy among young people and university students represents a real investment in the future of the non-banking financial sector to expand the market and encourage innovation, and contributes to preparing a more aware generation capable of making sound financial and investment decisions in light of the accelerating technological changes in the various financial markets.

The head of the authority reviewed the latest developments in the Egyptian non-banking financial sector, explaining to the students the nature of derivatives and the advantages of introducing them into the stock exchange, and the developments that followed, such as the launch of the index futures market, the near activation of the mechanism for selling borrowed securities, and the market maker mechanism, expecting that these developments will contribute to attracting wider segments of young people to invest in the stock exchange.

The head of the authority spoke about the growing interest of young people in investing in precious metals funds (gold and silver), which achieved the highest returns among investment funds in the first quarter of this year, exceeding 20% ​​(quarterly). He was keen to clarify the regulatory role that the authority plays over these funds and all other activities that are more vital to millions of Egyptians, such as non-banking finance and insurance.

He added that the non-banking financial sector is witnessing significant development in financial tools, services and products, which requires continued awareness and training efforts, especially in light of the state’s direction towards supporting financial inclusion and digital transformation and enabling young people to benefit from the opportunities provided by organized financial markets.

Then Dr. Mohamed Abdel Aziz, Assistant Chairman of the Authority, delivered a lecture in which he discussed its various activities and its role in regulating non-banking financial markets and raising the levels of stability, efficiency and transparency within the markets, in order to support the protection of the rights of traders and enhance investor confidence, stressing the Authority’s keenness to communicate directly with students to build sound financial awareness among the new generations, which enhances their ability to understand the nature of the markets and their mechanisms of operation.

Abdulaziz pointed to the “Iinvest” platform and initiative launched by the Authority to enhance understanding of non-banking financial services and solutions and facilitate dealing with them, through a rich and enjoyable knowledge experience, focusing on different success experiences of young investors, while introducing the regulatory and supervisory frameworks for various activities under the Authority’s supervision.

The meeting included honoring a number of students who demonstrated excellence in the joint awareness program. Dr. Mohamed Mohsen Al-Attar, Vice President of the University, also accompanied Dr. Islam Azzam on a tour of the university campus in Sheikh Zayed City, where he expressed his admiration for the university's educational facilities and modern equipment, as well as the advanced learning environment it provides, which supports the development of students' skills and prepares them for the job market.