Together with USAID, Visa aims to enhance access to secure, inclusive, and transparent digital government systems globally, promoting economic development and growth in select markets.
Visa announced on Oct. 24 that it would be working jointly with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the next five years. Their cooperation will focus on programs that help governments design and implement platforms connecting citizens with local services.
In particular, Visa and USAID aim to advance digital government ecosystems and payment digitisation in developing regions, including Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Caucasus. The initiative will promote secure, inclusive access to digital government services, expand digital financial access, close the gender gap, and foster sustainable development in emerging markets.
The partners believe that equal access to government services and the national financial system is boosting financial inclusion and economic growth. Their cooperation is facilitated by the recent launch of USAID’s Digital Policy, which aligns with global standards and prioritises digital literacy and infrastructure.
USAID’s Digital Strategy focuses on using digital technology to support inclusive economic growth, open societies, and accountable governance in developing nations. It emphasises safe, equitable access to digital tools, with a focus on reducing the digital divide, strengthening cybersecurity, and promoting partnerships for sustainable development.
With the addition of Visa as a partner, USAID initiatives can leverage the firm’s capabilities and expertise in digital government systems, digital payments, and support for constituents and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
This joint effort builds on Visa’s ongoing commitment to digitisation, such as its support for Ukraine’s successful e-governance Diia app, which is a brilliant example of increased government transparency and improved accessibility to services for citizens and businesses through digital technologies.
Besides the mentioned project, Visa Foundation partners with USAID as a founding member of the Climate Gender Equity Fund (CGEF), a flagship project of the Women in the Sustainable Economy (WISE) Initiative, and other programs that help improve livelihoods, boost economic opportunities and narrow the gender digital divide in developing markets.
