Industry body for mobile operators, the GSMA, and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are accelerating the use of mobile money in times of global emergencies, including pandemics and natural disasters.

The organisations, funded by the UK Department for International Development since 2017, are delivering digital assistance through cash-based transfers to save lives.

In a statement, they say the partnership aims to use mobile technology to deliver impactful assistance by working with regulatory authorities and local mobile network operators in key countries.

The partners will focus on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the digital cash transfer process, starting in Nigeria and expanding to other countries.

“As humanitarian crises become more frequent, complex and protracted, the need to devise services that are scalable, replicable and efficient for humanitarian organisations has become crucial,” said John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA.

“With over one billion mobile money accounts worldwide, the use of digital technology – specifically mobile money services – can provide the foundation for rapidly scaling cash transfers to safely and effectively deploy desperately-needed resources. Moreover, in compliance with COVID-19 guidelines, mobile-based cash transfers can deliver support, while adhering to social distancing advice”.

“I am delighted that five years into our relationship, the GSMA is expanding its work with WFP and the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), which we lead. This will scale up mobile money use for humanitarian assistance through WFP’s cash-based transfer and beneficiary services management platform, SCOPE. It will have an enduring impact on all those facing food insecurity,” said Enrica Porcari, WFP CIO and Director of Technology, and Chair of the ETC.

As well as being fast and efficient, digital assistance offers better security, tracking, transparency and, therefore, accountability. It also boosts financial inclusion by offering vulnerable people access to a range of digital financial services and more flexible choices about how to spend their assistance, which can, in turn, boost local businesses.

In 2020, the partnership aims to use mobile technology to deliver impactful assistance by working with regulatory authorities and local mobile network operators in key countries. With continued support from UK DFID, the partners will focus on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the digital cash transfer process, starting in Nigeria and expanding to other countries.

The GSMA will support WFP to access mobile money industry initiatives. First, the GSMA Mobile Money Certification initiative, which ensures a provider’s ability to deliver safe, secure and reliable services while protecting the rights of consumers.

The Certification will enable WFP to fast-track due diligence on mobile money providers for the disbursement of cash-based assistance digitally to those affected by crises. Second, the Mobile Money API, a GSMA-led industry initiative which provides a harmonised specification to access mobile money services across multiple providers and markets, making it simple and secure to integrate for assistance seamlessly.

WFP and the GSMA believe that digital inclusion, digital identity and integrated payment frameworks are critical to the success of any cash transfer initiative via mobile money services and of any response infrastructure established by Governments, humanitarian organisations and the private sector.

Allowing large organisations to collaborate using services that meet global standards, also allows them to deliver swift and secure assistance to the growing number of people affected by conflict, climate change, natural disasters and health crises.

Giusti added, “The GSMA and WFP call on other humanitarian organisations to consider the use of mobile technology in their strategies. Well tested mobile services, such as mobile money, allow for the safe delivery of support, particularly in fragile environments.”