05/10/2026 12:52:00

Central Bank Governor participates in Mediterranean Central Banks Conference in Tarragona

The Governor of the Central Bank of Malta, Mr Alexander Demarco, participated in the 10th Annual Conference of Mediterranean Central Banks, held in Tarragona, Spain, on 1 and 2 October 2026.

The conference, entitled "Digital Currencies, Payments and Reserve Management Implications for the Mediterranean Central Banks", brought together governors, senior officials and experts from central banks and international institutions across the Mediterranean region to discuss emerging developments and challenges in the financial and monetary landscape.

During the conference, Governor Demarco participated as a panellist in the session "Improving Cross-Border Payments in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape". The discussion focused on the evolving payments ecosystem, opportunities to enhance the efficiency of cross-border transactions and the implications of geopolitical developments for international payment systems.

Photo: Banco de España 

The conference was jointly organised by Banco de España, the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Union for the Mediterranean. The event promoted dialogue, cooperation and the exchange of knowledge among Mediterranean central banks on matters of mutual interest and strategic importance.

Governor Demarco's participation underscored the importance of strengthening national payment infrastructures that rely on central bank money for settlement and common international messaging standards, built on strong regulation, effective competition, transparency in fees and high security to prevent fraud and ensure privacy. He emphasised that jurisdictions can then connect with others through bilateral and multilateral arrangements to make cross-border payments faster, cheaper, and more transparent, while safeguarding their sovereignty.

The Central Bank of Malta remains committed to international cooperation and active engagement on key issues shaping the future of central banking, financial systems and payment infrastructures in the Mediterranean region.

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