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ZANZIBAR City, Aug 22 – Mastercard has collaborated with the Zanzibar e-Government Agency (eGAZ) to support and accelerate its ambitious digital transformation journey. This will allow different sectors across the Zanzibar islands, including tourism, to digitize payments which will significantly contribute to robust economic growth.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place at the launch of the Zanzibar Digital Government Strategy for 2023-2027, led by H.E Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar.

The agreement is the first MoU signing by Mastercard aligned with Zanzibar’s digital transformation goals laid out in their Digital Economy Blueprint and Roadmap. The strategy’s main objective is Zanzibar’s transformation into a strong digital economy which will secure digital systems, drive innovative information, communication and technology solutions and develop training for digital governance, ultimately reshaping public services.

Under the three-year collaboration, Mastercard will provide technical assistance and expertise to support the Zanzibar government’s efforts. This includes setting up a digital transformation team, collaborating with the government’s payment portal ZanMalipo to enable digital payments, and launch two million government cards for better access to services and tourism.

“The like-minded collaboration between Mastercard and the Zanzibar e-Government Agency will help power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere in Zanzibar. It is a testament to the profound impact of digitization and builds on Mastercard’s global experience in enabling digital transformation and demonstrating the value of fostering cross-sector collaboration, fuelling economic growth and facilitating financial and digital inclusion,” said Shehryar Ali, Country Manager, East Africa, Mastercard.

Mastercard solutions will include the Mastercard Payment Gateway Services (MPGS) which enables merchants to accept a wide range of payment methods, including mobile payments, credit cards, and e-wallets, and highlight the several consumer benefits on Priceless.com to further drive economic development.

The leadership of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar is engaged in creating an enabling environment for a pan-African digital economy; one that would spur innovation, trade and investment in the United Republic of Tanzania and the wider region.

“This collaboration affirms our commitment to harnessing innovative technologies for service delivery enhancement. We believe that by working with Mastercard, a trusted partner, we can significantly accelerate the realization of our digital strategy and provide invaluable benefits to our citizens,” stated Said Seif Said, Managing Director, Zanzibar e-Government Agency (eGAZ).

 Development of a fast and secure digital infrastructure for the delivery of services to citizens, tourists and the business community remains Zanzibar’s immediate focus with plans to position the island as a major player in the pan-African trade transformation journey. The ultimate beneficiaries of these initiatives are consumers, who will enjoy a more seamless, efficient, and inclusive digital environment.