Mr. Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, the ISSA Secretary General during his trip to I.R. Iran in order to attend the ISSA Technical Seminar hosted by the Iranian Social Security Organization (ISSO) in Tehran, visited the Social Security Research Institute (SSRI) an affiliated institute of the ISSO.

Dr. Ghafari, Chairman of the Social Security Research Institute, explained the mission and structure of the institute and expressed his interest in mutual collaboration with the ISSA. Heads of the 6 research groups of the SSRI presented a brief report of the activities done by the specialist experts of each group as well.

Mr. Konkolewsky, emphasized the responsibilities and functions of the Institute and reminded the importance of using international experience. He also explained the practical use of the ISSA guidelines and asserted these guidelines provide efficient policies to be used by policy makers in different areas.

The ISSA Secretary General announced that 3 more guidelines under the titles of “Actuarial Evaluations”; “Promoting Social Security Culture”;  and  “Preventing Fraud in Social Security” will be introduced at the World Social Security Forum which is going to be held in November 2016 in Panama.

He continued: Developing social security culture is necessary for all social security systems, because social features play a more important role than political features in several issues such as empowering human resource and also in technical aspects like increasing the insurance contribution rate. In this regard, the existence of social debates on social security concept will prepare people to welcome social security evolution. Comparative study is another important issue in social security system. This kind of study means benefiting from global experience and implementing it in conformity with national context, customs and culture.  The ISSA is honored to provide outstanding services in recognizing and introducing the potentials and capacities of ISSA member institutions in order to develop multidimensional collaboration with each other.

Mr. Konkolewsky considered avoidance of politics in governing social security system as a necessity and stated that, achieving the sustainable development goals requires sustainability of resources which is vital for next generations.

He declared: Social Security Research Institute can play an active role  in implementing the ISSA guidelines with regard to the realities and requirements   of Iranian social security system.

The ISSA Secretary General concluded: I also take this opportunity to announce that the ISSA welcomes mutual collaboration with the institute in organizing the ISSA Regional training workshops, especially for the Persian language countries.