Ashraf El Kady- President of The United Bank Egypt has advanced 19 ranks in The United Nations human development index

20/12/2022

Ashraf El Kady- President of The United Bank

Egypt has advanced 19 ranks in The United Nations human development index, 13 governorates come ahead for the development rates

• The United Bank takes sides with economy humanitarian applications for community integration and social equity.
• The United Bank is a partner in the Egyptian state strategy to build the Egyptian citizen.
• Egypt is the beacon of humanitarian economy revival that favors the citizen.
• 6 interlocutors for UB in the humanitarian economy applications.

 

Cairo: 20^th of December, 2022

Ashraf El Kady- Chairman of The United Bank, moderated the second session today in “El Nass we El Bnouk” People and Banks annual conference, in its 8^th edition, under the slogan “Geographical and social integration for banks”, with the presence of a constellation of banks chairman, and CEOs. With Ghada El Bially- President of IDB, Dr. Abdul Wahab – Deputy Head of Digital Economic Union, and Yasmine Adel- Head of Human Resources in The National Bank of Egypt.

El Kady began the session by pointing out to Mr. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s announcement in the beginning of this year, that 2022 is the “Civil Society Year”, which made the Egyptian citizen at the top of economic, social and cultural axes of the state in the march of sustainable integrated development 2030.

El Kady stated that economics is about numbers and facts. Although numbers are so harsh, but sometimes economics carries the message of moral and cultural values. El Kady referred to The United Nations human development index, issued in 2021, indicating that Egypt has successfully advanced 19 rank to be the 97^th internationally and 20^th in The Arab world. This is due to five basic development indicators done by the state with the cooperation of the society institutions, either private or civil. Which are: good education, health care, decent life style, economic growth, providing job opportunities, encouraging innovation and scientific research.

El Kady added that the report pointing out that 13 Egyptian governorates come at the top of the human development index, Port Said, Suez, Cairo, Alexandria, Damietta, Monufia, Dakahlia, Gharbia, Ismailia, Kafr El Sheikh, (borderline governorates) Red Sea South and North Sinai, as well as, upper Egypt Sohag and Assiut.

The United Bank takes sides with economy humanitarian applications for community integration and social equity.

The United Bank has launched 6 strategic axes based on the mentioned indicators in the UN human development report about Egypt.

El Kady stated that the human is the first economic treasure of any society and the base of any economic, social, and cultural progress. That’s explaining the Egyptian state exerted efforts, with the participation of private sector and civil society institutions in applying humane economy and integrated development practices towards the strategy of building the Egyptian citizen, and developing the services presented to the citizen, like in: health care, education and training, spreading knowledge, encouraging innovation and maximizing the role of scientific research. As well as, decent housing through the largest developmental program “Decent Life”. All of these are taking place with the keeping quality criteria, and competitive mechanisms for free market, to ensure achieving social equity in distributing and equality as one of the sustainable development principles.

El Kady demonstrated a number of UB’s achievements in community integration and human development on 6 fundamental axes:

First: The social development

The UB has participated in a number of national initiatives, social development projects, national and non- governmental campaigns, that aim to settling and achieving sustainable development goals, supporting state’s and CBE’s efforts, towards improving the citizen’s life, eliminating squatter housing, and improving the quality of services presented to him/her, especially in health and education.

Among the most important projects and initiatives done by Ithar “Social and Community Responsibility” sector in UB:

• Eliminating squatter housing initiative, through contribution in building the first integrated healthy community “Hay El Asmarat”, among a range of societies targeting squatter housing elimination.
• The national initiative 100 million health, and participating in the national campaign to eliminate waiting lists.
• “Awladna fe Einena” Our children are in Our Eyes initiative, that aims to eradicating blindness causes and Anemia in primary stage students in many governorates: El Fayoum, South Sinai, and Luxor.
• Sacrifice deeds projects and changing the public culture about performing religious rituals, aiming to delivering sacrificed meat to the needy in a civilized manner all over the republic. As well as, feeding program all around the year, especially in Ramadan, through “Karateen el Kheir” the good boxes.
• Organizing the events of the annual reciting Quran competition in 19 governorates, continuing UB adaption to an integrated program to socially and educationally sponsor Quran reciters. And for the first time, down syndrome people were included and reciters above 18 years old.
• Sustainable development project in South Sinai, particularly in Saint Catherine, under the name of “Tagalyat” to operate 350 families in the first phase.
• Debtors “El Gharmeen” project, that aims to solving this problem socially and economically and economically empower those debtors.
• Supporting Misr Fund- Decent life program, aiming to improving the life for those neediest in the society on the republic level, especially in villages. And enhancing the quality of services presented to the neediest citizens.
• Launching the project of good convoys for the handicapped in South Sinai to a number of 1100. It included full medical examination (ophthalmic, orthopedics, internal specialty, surgeries, urologists, ENTs). The convoy also included a whole pharmacy that benefactors may need, optical glasses, analysis, x- rays. As well as, surgeries, and providing ear pieces, prosthetic devices. Besides, winter clothes, and blankets in the winter campaign.
• Sponsoring orphans in many of upper Egypt villages. Such as in El Maany village, Qena governorate. To distribute financial and in- kind support.
• Orphan day celebration, in solidarity with the presidential initiative “Awladna MOstakblna”, led by the Southern Military Region. As well as, organizing many sports events to the youth of Misr Bokra “Egypt Tomorrow association for development”.
• Supporting a number of hospitals and scientific research institutions, such as: Diabetics national institute, and Baheya foundation for early detection and breast cancer.
• Participating in Decent Life project, through supporting Nagaa Elgossor village in Eol Toud center, in Luxor. With the cooperation of Misr El Kheir foundation, in which damaging and re- building 20 houses with rebar. As well as, some development projects (motor- supported boats and fishing equipment) for 25 boats. And also, sending medical convoys to examine the people there (medical examination- eye surgeries- eye glasses- medications- eye drops- pediatric examination- dermatologists- analysis). Besides, raising the efficiency of 10 houses in Ezbet Sayedna village.

Second: Financial Inclusion Axis and Raising Financial Awareness

• The United Bank led a big number of national campaigns in financial inclusion since 2018, aiming certain community segments: women, and youth all around the year.
• Integrated community campaigns, in the framework of “decent life” initiative, that included many tours in 17 governorates, among them: Cairo, Assiut, Sharkia, Dakahlia, Monufia, South Sinai, Alexandria, Tour. And among the most important achievements:
• Raising awareness, spreading financial culture, providing financial products and banking suitable solutions for citizens in more than 15 governorates, 25 centers, and 30 poor villages.
• Cooperation with many universities and technical education institutions, in order to reach the targeted segment of youth, through participating in Central Delta Universities Integration protocol, that include 7 universities.
• Cooperation with El Arabi school for applied technology to raise the technical education students’ awareness and coordination to open accounts for the students as a first phase of awareness.
• Cooperation with many civil society institutions, such as: x project initiative and youth scope. That look after entrepreneurs among university students, and participating in selecting winner projects and open bank accounts.
• Cooperation with “fekretak sherketak” Your Idea Is Your Company initiative, affiliated to Ministry of Investment. To train the trainers in El Gharbia governorate, who spread awareness and financial inclusion culture among benefactors.
• Cooperation with civil society institutions to reach the special needs, such as: Awtad association to raise the awareness financial culture, open accounts, training in entrepreneurships, with the possibility to finance and start open accounts procedures for handicapped, and preparing a number of branches to serve them.
• Issuance of financial inclusion account and economic activity, for targeted segments with distinctive features to encourage youth and economic activity owners.

Third: Micro Finance Axis

UB has strongly entered this promising sector since 2021, with a number of specialized products that target a certain segment of women, youth and handicapped. In order to increase the productive base, accomplish financial inclusion and reducing rates of unemployment. The United Bank has allocated 500 million pounds to micro finance.

UB has innovated distinctive digital mechanisms that enable the client to get finance through UB digital wallet, and pay instalments monthly through it. The first experience was in UB Zaqaziq branch.

Fourth: Digital transformation axis

El Kady said that Egypt is regarded among the 10 biggest cash economies in the world. That’s why the Egyptian state, The Central Bank of Egypt, Ministry of communications and information technology, have adopted a national strategy to transfer Egypt to digital regional center for digital technology and artificial intelligence.

UB is working within this national strategy framework, until the digital services clients reached around 28 thousand all over the republic. Those clients enjoy a package of distinctive high-quality digital services, enable them more luxury and contributes in reducing carbon emissions which harm the environment. These services provide the client with all his/ her needs of banking transactions fast and efficient, the thing that saves their effort and time.

That package works 24/7, with the latest international efficiency. It includes: Internet banking for individuals and corporates, Mobile banking, UB digital wallet. Along with ATM services that provide a set of developed solutions, such as: I Score inquiry, exchange currencies, charge and withdrawal from all digital wallets, service of activation of credit and debit cards, credit card settlement, payment of governmental bills for investors, customs and taxes.

El Kady stated that the United Bank strongly participated in cyber security applications and fraud control techniques. Especially amid the spread of digital transactions and expanding the financial inclusion base, either through integrated awareness campaigns for clients or through security applications and client- data information and investment protection. As well as, supporting the national strategy events led by CBE.

He added that developing the digital banking services to serve integrated development purposes is one of the top UB priorities. That’s through adding new features that attract all society segments, which contribute to expanding financial inclusion and digital financial culture.

As well as, five digital centers: Shooting club branch, Cargo mall in Sheikh Zayed, Concord mall in 5^th settlement, Mokkatam and Gamasa.

UB pays well attention to qualifying its work team to deal with AI, either through the chat bot or Big Data technique. The thing that contributes to attract more clients, especially those ambitious segment of youth who prefer digital services. As well as, qualifying infrastructure systems to absorb that huge development. As well as, creating Business Intelligence units.

Fifth: Empowerment of Women

It has been laid the ground break of UB Laky forum. The forum strategy is about developing and improving the efficiency performance for women, and qualifying them to lead properly with equal opportunities. The thing that has a big impact on the work environment as an innovation motive.

The woman is a strategic partner in building up the nation. Besides, creating a constrictive community dialogue with women participating from different fields of life to exchange scientific and educational experiences, this dialogue positively supports achieving the Egyptian state developmental purposes.

UB has announced that women represent 30% of UB work team. As well as 3 efficient UB ladies are among the board of directors.

Many more internal corporate campaigns have been made on the International women day, like: #set bmeet ragel, #khatwaet aman- to detect early cases of breast cancer with the cooperation of Baheya foundation, #mn gher bsmetha el kaffa tmeel, #khaleky fresh, #esset elmasrya alb eldonia, all these campaigns aim to well qualifying women leadership.

UB has launched “Tagalyat” to empower people of St. Catherine and the region of Tagaly mountain, especially Sinai women, under the slogan of “Tagalyat .. Inherited by Generation”, with the collaboration of South Sinai governor General Khaled Foda, and General Talaat El Anany- mayor of St. Catherine.

This project aims to provide decent life for 350 families in its first phase. The thing that contributes to settling human rights principles, and deepening the feel of belonging to this nation, and it is also regarded as a model of economic empowerment, and enhancing entrepreneurship, in order to improve the competitive and productive abilities, especially in fields of manufacturing agricultural products, hand crafts- which is a well-known industry in this region, like in soap industry, extracting mountain honey, extracting and squeezing olive oil, farming natural herbs, almond. Besides, hand crafts with famous Sinai embroidery.

Sixth: Empowerment of Youth and Investing in Human Resources

In order to enhance the role of youth in dialogue and cultural interaction among different people around the world, and putting innovative solutions to solve a number of local and international cases, UB has participated with a delegation of 12 young men and women from different sectors, to represent the future leadership in The United Bank, to participate in the youth forum in its fourth edition 2022. That was held in Sharm El Sheikh under the sponsorship of Mr. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

The United Bank announced the harvest of 4 years of Nile Pioneers ‘hard work.  UB presented 1925 technical and non- banking services for 660 entrepreneurs all around Egypt. These services aim to improving the work environment and support start-ups to overcome the challenges facing them either locally or internationally. UB provided the full support and finance to 279 entrepreneurs with a volume of funding 100 million pounds.

The march of UB’s efforts have been crowned with the graduation of the first 30 furniture companies, in the frame work of qualifying furniture companies, as per to the Nile Pioneers initiative with the cooperation of Nile University and Furniture Industry Export assembly. The United Bank continues to support start-ups and Egyptian innovative ideas, especially youth through 3 Nile Pioneer center in: Cairo, Dakahlia, and Menia.

Moreover, UB has declared its support to the student of the Applied Technology and Arts Academy- the first specialized school in MENA to the second year in row. As per the Egyptian state policy towards devoting attention to educational systems in general, and technical education in particular. That support was through issuance of national Meeza pre-paid cards, and granting them as rewards to these students all their school time, and also through internships. Besides, organizing a range of cultural lectures to spread the concepts and mechanisms of cashless transactions.

The United Bank provides a package of innovative financial solutions that target youth in different stages, especially z generation (from 14 up to 25 years) under name of “Ajyal”. In the purpose to develop financial culture and expanding the base of financial inclusion in all governorates, and as per the CBE resolutions. Youth can easily open accounts in UB only with their IDs, and have their banking and digital transactions around the clock with the utmost safety and freedom.

UB also provides another package of digital solutions called “Your Bank Online”, that includes internet banking, mobile banking, UB digital wallet, opening bank accounts without administrative fees and without a minimum amount. Besides, the set of digital services they can enjoy their distinctive benefits. Digital services work 24/7, to enable UB customers to: follow up all their accounts, either deposits, certificates or cards or financing. And make all transactions among their accounts easily. As well as, making external transfers for UB clients and non- clients with full safety. They can activate their cards, or report their theft and deactivate them. They can also pay bills and recharge cell phones and transfer money to any digital wallet.

The United Bank stated its expansion in remote training techniques and direct trainings, with the cooperation of the largest training institutions either locally or internationally. To exceed 70 thousand training hours. Coming on the top of these institutions: The Egyptian banking institute, which has almost 60% of UB training budget.

UB invests in the human resources and qualifying them to future leadership. Which is one of the challenges to make UB a youth bank with its ideas, administration and applications. Thus, it came the integrated process of qualifying human resources. An emergence of young qualified leadership has produced. This young leadership, High Fliers have successfully accomplished all internal training courses that have been conducted in the Egyptian banking institute. In order to start the practical participation of setting strategies, and executive plans of The United Bank, and real managerial practices.

This young leadership have participated in many projects, among them: Nile Pioneers Initiative, Digital development products, banking awareness and training group, internal and external rationalizing of consumption, banking products development group, developing the cultural and banking identity of the UB, and setting corporate values. Besides, escalation a number of banking cadres to leadership positions.