The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has signed a protocol of cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) to facilitate rendering government services digitally. This comes within the framework of implementing the strategy of the National Payments Council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, and the government’s strategy to develop and automate procedures at government agencies to ease citizens’ access to different government services.
The signatories to the protocol were CBE Governor Tarek Amer and Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat.
The protocol aims to enable the use of Meeza card and mobile wallets on Digital Egypt platform, and launch Meeza card service in Ismailia Governorate as a pilot project, then apply it nationwide. This is in addition to replacing support cards bearing another trademark with a card bearing Meeza national mark.
CBE stressed the importance of developing the payment methods for government services as this will facilitate citizens’ access to services, in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 for rendering government services digitally, and within the government’s plan to create a digital society.
Pursuant to the protocol, a smart-chip-equipped card will be issued using state-of-the-art technologies to ensure transactions safety. The card will also be contactless-enabled, which can greatly help reduce queues at service delivery outlets. In addition, the card will be accepted in governmental and non-governmental payments, thus contributing to achieving financial inclusion and creating a cashless society.
The ICT Minister underlined that the cooperation between CBE and MCIT reflects the integration between state agencies and institutions to take concrete steps towards achieving the state's strategy to promote financial inclusion and build Digital Egypt. He added that rolling out the single card comes in the government's keenness to build a digital economy and facilitate citizens’ access to government services.
The card will enable citizens to obtain health insurance and food subsidy services using secure digital mechanisms, where payments can be conducted through a single smart card, Talaat said. The service will be first rolled out in Ismailia Governorate, starting with rendering health insurance and food subsidy services to citizens and enabling the use of the card in financial transactions, in a pilot project to be later applied in the other governorates.
The protocol is valid for two years. Its signing ceremony was attended by two CBE deputy governors, CBE senior undersecretaries to the governor, and a Deputy ICT Minister.
