The U.S. Embassy in Angola launched the Dinheiro Digital é Melhor project with mobile operator Africell to improve and expand the use of mobile money applications, making it easier to send and receive money. This two-year, nearly $5 million project, funded through the U.S. Government Agency for International Development (USAID), will support the Government of Angola's objective to increase financial inclusion and the U.S. Government's contribution to the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). U.S. Ambassador to Angola and São Tomé e Príncipe, Tulinabo S. Mushingi, and PGII Senior Advisor Danae Pauli attended the official launch at the Africell headquarters in Luanda. Angolan Secretary of State for Technical and Professional Learning, Gildo Matias, Secretary of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Alice de Almeida, and National Director of Business and Planning, Laercio Cândido, also attended the launch, as well as representatives from international agencies, civil society, the private sector, and local media.
Building on President Biden's commitment at the 2023 G7 Summit to support development of the Lobito Corridor and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation's existing financing for Africell in the DRC, Sierra Leone, and the Gambia, this project represents an expansion of the US government's partnership with Angola to support sustainable economic development by empowering the Angolan people. The Dinheiro Digital é Melhor Project in particular will empower ordinary Angolans to conveniently make and receive payments at their fingertips, bridging the gap between individuals and financial services, and breaking down barriers and reaching those previously excluded from the formal financial system.
