By Desmond Tunde Coker
It is now very clear that Mobile Money is an essential element that makes payment faster and efficient. That is why on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the IOM New Signal Hill Road Office, Orange Money and the International Organization for Migration are in partnership for the payments of migrants through Orange Money.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations organization working in the area of migration. The organization implements operational assistance programmes for migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers.
In his statements during the signing of the partnership agreement, the Chief Executive Officer of Orange Money, David Samba Mansaray said that Orange Money has been in operation since 2016/2017 but before that, it was called Airtel Money. He said that the primary objective is to digitize payment. He said that this objective fits precisely with the objective of what IOM is trying to achieve.
He said that they have been doing this for quite some time now, and they have worked with so many organisations including the World Food Program, UNICEF, World Health Organization, among others.
He said that in many countries they have seen how digital payments are supported. ‘’This will help to solve and bring stability during migrant payments,’’ he emphasized.
Christos Christodoulides, Head of Office, IOM, said, ‘’I’m really glad that in the spirit of digitization and in the spirit of technology and moving from cash based money transfers into mobile money, we are really grateful that we have this moment. So, we are really looking forward to working together.’’
He said that IOM Sierra Leone has been in Sierra Leone for over 22 years now. ‘’We work closely with the government and many other partners as the UN Migration Agency here in Sierra Leone to really promote safe, orderly and human migration.’’
‘’I’m very pleased that we are here today for the signing of the of this cooperation or this agreement, because the private sector engagement is key to our organization. We have a dedicated private sector policy for the next four years that’s at the global level. And I’m very pleased, because that’s the first private sector engagement we have in Sierra Leone. So, for us, it’s a big and important step forward,’’ he said.