OREANDA-NEWS. April 18, 2011. The 11th Global Conference of Central Securities Depositories just concluded in Cape Town, South Africa. The conference brought together 230 delegates from 65 countries, representing 70 Central Securities Depositories.

During the three-day conference, the senior representatives of the five regional associations agreed that the time was right to formalize the relationship between the regional associations and announced the formation of the World Forum of CSDs (WFC). The WFC will build on the contribution of the CSD Contact Group over the past four years in enhancing inter association communications. The objective of the newly formed WFC is to provide a forum for the five Regional CSD associations to exchange information, discuss issues of common interest and increase their influence and engagement on cross-regional and global developments, as well as providing a common voice on issues relevant to the various associations and their members.

The Forum will have a Board composed of 10 members, namely the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of each of the five regional associations, with the Association that has most recently hosted the Global Conference of CSDs acting as chair for a two-year term. The Board will be supported by the Secretariats of the respective associations.

Mr. Mohamed Abdel Salam of MCDR (Egypt), representing the Africa and Middle East CSD Association, will take on the role of Chair of the newly formed WFC.

Mr. Yoshinobu Takeuchi of JASDEC (Japan) will be acting as WFC Vice-Chair.

The five regional CSD associations (representing 125 member CSDs) involved in the formation of the WFC are:

European Central Securities Depositories Association (ECSDA)

Asia - Pacific CSD Group (ACG)

Americas’ Central Securities Depositories Association (ACSDA)

Africa & Middle East Depositories Association (AMEDA)

Association of Eurasian Central Securities Depositories (AECSD)

Background

The CCG was created in 2007 under the leadership of Yoshinobu Takeuchi, of the Japan Securities Depository Center Inc., at a Summit Session of Central Securities Depository CEOs during the 9th Conference of CSDs in Seoul, Korea. Mr. Takeuchi, representing ACG acted as chair of the CCG from 2007 until 2009. Mr. Joлl Mйrиre, representing ECSDA took over as chair from 2009 until 2011. Since its formation, the CSD Contact Group has met 7 times and succeeded in deepening the expert dialogue among the 5 regional associations.