By Our Reporter
In a bid to further drive financial inclusion for Ugandans living and working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), MTN Mobile Money Limited Uganda (MTN MoMo) has partnered with the organizers of the 6th Uganda-UAE convention with a sponsorship package of USD 25,000 (appx. UGX 95,000,000).
Richard Yego, the MTN MoMo Uganda Limited Managing Director handed over the cheque of USD 25,000 to the representatives of the AUU, at the MTN Mobile Money offices in Kampala. They were represented by Happy Atukwasa, the P R Sharjah community in the UAE, Zam Nabirye, the Female
representative at the Association and Muawiya Mukasa, the AUU ambassador.
The Uganda-UAE convention is an annual event that brings together Ugandan leaders, investors and Ugandans living in Dubai to discuss and resolve pertinent issues. This year’s convention will be held at Hyatt Regency Hotel – Deira, Dubai from 29th October to 30th October 2022 under the theme “Uganda, the cardinal Trade and Investment Hub within the African Continental Free Trade Area”.
While making the sponsorship announcement, Richard Yego, the MTN MoMo Uganda Limited Managing Director said that this partnership underpins MTN’s commitment to bridging the financial inclusion gap.
“As MTN MoMo, we are proud and honored to be associated with the Uganda Consulate in Dubai and the Association of Ugandans living in UAE. We look forward to engaging with all our stakeholders in the UAE during the 6th Uganda-United Arab Emirates (UAE) convention and beyond, to continue delivering and improving our service towards the thousands of customers who rely on our unique products and services under MTN Mobile Money,” Yego said.
According to statistics from the Association of Ugandans in UAE Secretariat, the United Arab Emirates is currently the leading remitter of Foreign Direct Investment with approximately USD 200 million through remittances, mainly channeled via mobile money because of its safety, efficiency and effectiveness.
Muawiya Mukasa, the AUU ambassador thanked MTN MoMo for the great partnership and support that shall go along way in resolving some of the most pressing issues that the association is currently facing.
“As a way of creating positive change to people and community through Corporate Social Responsibility, the proceeds from our sponsors of the Uganda-UAE convention will go to helping a number of Ugandans stranded at Al Awir deportation centre without air tickets to return home and also cater for other day-to-day problems affecting Ugandans living in UAE,” Mukasa said.
Currently, more than 100,000 Ugandan citizens work and live in UAE.