The AMF signs a MoU with Visa to enhance cross-border payments

By Leandra Monteiro

The Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) and Visa, announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Under the terms of this MoU, Visa and Buna (The Regional Payment Platform owned by the AMF), will set the foundation for mutual beneficial interoperability and a solid partnership that aims to enable additional rails of money transfer across the two systems, supporting the growth and efficiency of cross-border payments between the Arab region and the rest of the world.

Buna and Visa will collaborate to offer their network of participants and member banks respectively, a quick, efficient, cost effective and secure channels to execute cross-border payments in Arab and International currencies, enabling diversified pay out options.

Both Buna and Visa will build on their strong capacities and value propositions, to cater to the growing financial needs of the Arab region, and design optimal solutions that can unlock sustainable opportunities in the payment industry. This partnership represents a strong testimony of Buna’s and Visa commitment towards serving the regional and global financial ecosystem and paving the way for efficient and innovative cross-border payments.

Commenting on this event, His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman A. Al Hamidy, Director General Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, stressed on the strategic aspects of such partnership and the added value it delivers for the regional and global financial community.

H.E Dr. Al Hamidy said, “Buna and Visa partnership is in line with our strategic approach to join forces with international institutions that share with us the same vision to contribute to the development and growth of the payment industry across the Arab world and globally. With this initiative, Buna continues to develop and grow its diversified pool of innovative solutions, providing its participant banks additional safe and credible channels to broaden their cross-payment capacities, implement innovative business models and better serve their clientele. Both Visa and Buna will capitalize on this partnership to deliver joint cross-border payment products and services that are risk controlled and with broad coverage and extended availability to better serve the diverse needs of the financial and payment community in the Arab region and beyond.”

Dr Saeeda Jaffar, Group General Manager for GCC, Visa expressed her pleasure on the MOU and commented, “This MOU reinforces Visa’s commitment to support the evolution of the Arab region and the vital role digital payments plays in this sphere. We believe that driving adoption of real time payments can be enabled through value added services, and our vision is to support our clients to promote more innovative real time payments use cases to benefit customers in the region who are looking for industry leading money transfer and cross border solutions. We are looking forward to working with Buna and related stakeholders in the implementation of this project.”

Buna, is a cross-border payment system owned by the Arab Monetary Fund, aiming to enable financial institutions and central banks in the Arab region and beyond to send and receive payments in local currencies as well as key international currencies in a safe, cost- effective, risk-controlled, and transparent environment. Buna offers participants modern payment solutions that comply with international standards, principles, and compliance requirements. Thanks to its cross-border payment system Buna contributes to exploring and strengthening opportunities for economic and financial integration in the Arab region and supporting investment ties with the global trading partners. Buna welcomes the inclusion of all banks that meet the criteria and conditions for participation, primarily the standards and procedures of compliance aspects.