Belgian bank chief pushes integration agenda

Guy Quaden, governor of the National Bank of Belgium, has emphasised the importance of regional integration in regulating financial markets.

Speaking at the International Arab Banking Summit in Brussels last week, Quaden said central banks could better manage the risks integral to globalisation with effective integration: “If handled skillfully, globalisation offers the prospect of increased prosperity for our economies. Co-operation and co-ordination among national authorities in the EU, the Mediterranean and the Middle East, as well as continued reforms to make financial systems more resilient to internal and external shocks, seem