Western Union Celebrates its 20th Anniversary in Africa
July 28 2015 - 2:54PM
Business Wire
Western Union Company (NYSE:WU), a leader in global payment
services, today celebrated its 20th anniversary in Africa. With
over 34,000 locations and connections to millions of bank accounts
and mobile wallets in more than 50 countries and territories,
across Africa, the Western Union network serves millions of senders
and receivers with a choice of 120 currencies.
To celebrate this special milestone, Western Union’s President
for Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe and CIS, Jean
Claude Farah, in addition to Aida Diarra, Western Union’s Regional
Vice President and Head of Africa and other members of the Africa
leadership team visited the first agent location at ADB
(Agricultural Development Bank) that offered Western Union money
transfer services for the first time in Africa in 1995. The WU
leadership team also visited Ecobank head office in Accra and
marked the occasion with the launch of the Account Based Money
Transfer services through ATM in Ghana.
The Western Union 20th Anniversary celebration in Ghana in
Africa, coincides with a speech made by President Barack
Obama at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, where he is quoted saying:
“Today, Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions in the
world. Africa’s middle class is projected to grow to more than one
billion consumers. With hundreds of millions of mobile phones,
surging access to the Internet, Africans are beginning to leapfrog
old technologies into new prosperity. Africa is on the move, a new
Africa is emerging.”
Western Union is committed to the expansion and development of
its pan-African network which provides a critical link to the ever
growing African Diaspora living and working in countries around the
world.
“More than 30 million Africans live outside their home
countries, contributing billions of USD in remittances to their
families and communities back home every year1”, said Jean
Claude Farah. “We are very humbled to play a role in helping
them move their money as they seek to elevate their economic
status, meet emergency needs, support healthcare requirements,
contribute to the education of future generations and in many
instances build their own small businesses. By moving money for
better for 20 years Western is enabling a world of possibilities
for Africa and in Africa.”
Aida Diarra added, “Through the work we do we also enable
economic activity and job creation. Currently over 155,000 Front
Line Associates (FLAs) are employed in our agent network on the
African continent. Western Union invests in training these FLAs
developing their business, technical and compliance skills.”
In addition to the socio-economic impact that remittances
enable, the company also supports philanthropic activities in
Africa via the Western Union Foundation which has a long history of
giving back to communities across the African continent. It
supports organizations that promote economic opportunity and growth
for individuals, families and entire communities throughout the
region. Since its creation, the Western Union Foundation has
committed to $8.703 million in grants and donations to 158 NGOs in
more than 40 countries across Africa.
About Western Union
The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global
payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago
Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment
services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with
fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around
the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of
March 31, 2015, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded
services were offered through a combined network of over 500,000
agent locations in 200 countries and territories and over 100,000
ATMs and kiosks. In 2014, The Western Union Company completed 255
million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $85
billion of principal between consumers, and 484 million business
payments. For more information, visit www.WesternUnion.com.
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1 IFAD, 2009
WU-G
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Western Union Press Contact:Khalid Baddou, +212 522 42 84
02Khalid.Baddou@westernunion.com
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