The initiative builds on an earlier partnership between the IRC, Mastercard Foundation, and Schneider Electric to train 1,250 electricians, 60 percent of whom were women, through four vocational training centers throughout the Ivory Coast over a five-year period. This new initiative will include the extension of the training program to a new training center in Abidjan located in Ivory Coast.

“The launch of our UAE acquiring solution allows us to offer merchants the local solution they have been looking for. We are ready to reduce the pain points merchants currently see in the UAE market.”

Saudi Payments, under the supervision of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) announced the launch of Saudi Arabia’s instant payments system ‘sarie’ in cooperation with IBM and Mastercard. This collaboration marks a key milestone for payments innovation in the region and is aligned with Saudi Payments’ aim to improve the Kingdom’s financial ecosystem.

The partnerships will ensure a first-class customer experience through the provision of innovative digital payment solutions including a spending account and contactless cards and will enable a range of seamless payment experiences.

This partnership between DIFC and Mastercard will help boost cyber readiness and resilience across the financial industry, enabling effective cyber security oversight through the Dubai Financial Services Authority Threat Intelligence Platform. The Global Cyber Forward programme combines Mastercard’s cutting-edge capabilities in cyber security with those of leading public sector organisations to create secure digital eco-systems.