The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) recently signed a cooperation protocol to speed up the establishment of digitally provided government services.

Signed by CBE Governor Tarek Amer and MCIT Minister Amr Talaat, the cooperation protocol aims to enable the use of the unified payment card, Meeza, and mobile wallets on the Digital Egypt platform.

It includes the Meeza card’s launch in the Ismailia governorate as a pilot project before applying it nationwide, and replacing other support cards with the Meeza card.

According to the protocol, the card will be issued with a smart chip, using the latest technologies to ensure the security of all transactions along with contactless technology to facilitate queues at service delivery outlets.

The card will be accepted in governmental and non-governmental payments, contributing to achieving financial inclusion and creating a cashless society, wrote a MCIT statement.

The CBE stressed the importance of developing government payments to facilitate citizens’ access to services, in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 in providing government services in a digital form and creating a more digital society.

MCIT Minister Talaat pointed out that the cooperation between the two affirms the integration between state agencies and institutions as they work towards achieving stable steps in the state’s strategy to enhance financial inclusion and build a digital Egypt.

The Meeza card will provide citizens with access to health insurance and food subsidy services through secure digital mechanisms, with payments through a single smart card.

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.