Centered around the theme 'Reimagining Tomorrow's Transactions,' the event brought together industry experts to explore emerging trends that will reshape the approach to digital commerce.

The event explored diverse topics, from inclusive workplaces and leadership to the impact of AI, metaverse, and disruptive innovations, sparking transformative ideas in every session.

With the 43rd edition of GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest and most inclusive tech event, opening its doors once again in Dubai, Mastercard EEMEA was present, actively exploring opportunities to harness partnerships and innovation for transformative impact.

The second edition of the Mastercard EEMEA SME Confidence Index reveals that 75% of SMEs in EEMEA project similar or increased revenue in the next 12 months. Top three areas for support required by SMEs are training and upskilling staff, access to a wider range of financial services and better telco infrastructure.

Kazakhstan is the leader on digital payment in Central Asia region. The first Central Bank Digital Currency card issued by Eurasian Bank and powered Mastercard was presented on the 30th anniversary of the Tenge, Kazakhstan’s national currency. The Digital Tenge Card instantly converts funds to traditional Tenge currency and is available to make purchases anywhere Mastercard is accepted in Kazakhstan and around the world.

Mastercard’s contactless technology revolutionized the country’s payment landscape, while further introduction of mobile contactless payments enhanced the client experience, offering Ukrainians even more seamless digital payment options.

Mastercard’s presence in Pakistan has enabled people and businesses to achieve financial security and prosperity for over 20 years. We're a trusted partner to the government, banks, fintechs, payment service providers and merchants in driving financial inclusion and digitizing new payment flows.

Mastercard is harnessing the power of our advanced technology to help translate visions to reality as part of our efforts to drive global digital transformation.

Following the unprecedented rainfall in Libya on September 10th that caused the collapse of two major dams, Mastercard will donate $200,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to strengthen Libyan Red Crescent’s first aid response.

Anonymized spending trends and other data helps refugees pinpoint smaller communities where they could thrive after the upheaval of war.

Three social impact and tech organizations joined forces to power data insights that can boost the economic resilience of these vulnerable entrepreneurs.

We have worked with our corporate security team and people and capabilities team to ensure the safety and well-being of our employees and their families and will continue to support them during this difficult time.

In Ukraine, digital payments have become mainstream with 60% of payments with Mastercard cards being made digitally today, a testament to the country's innovative spirit. This trend is not new, and it has been evolving considerably.

Releasing music as NFTs could help bring more African creativity to a global audience, he says.

To accelerate Ethiopia’s digital transformation, we at Mastercard partnered with EthSwitch, Ethiopia’s national payment switch, to enable financial institutions across the country to boost the adoption of digital payments

As part of its pledge to connect one billion people worldwide to the digital economy by 2025, Mastercard is building partnerships with public and private sector entities as well as NGOs to develop, incubate and scale locally relevant digital solutions.

Shehryar Ali, Country Manager for East Africa participates in a panel session with NTV Kenya which was centered around the challenges and opportunities faced by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Gaurang Shah, executive vice president of Product and Engineering, EEMEA, Mastercard spoke with CNBC Africa on the future of payments, the evolving economy, and the transformative impact of innovations on commerce.

Mark Elliott, Division President, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard recently sat down with CNBC Africa to discuss Mastercard's strategic approach in harnessing Africa's immense potential.

Gabriel Swanepoel, country manager, Southern Africa, Mastercard, speaks to CNBC Africa about the recently launched ‘Informal Economy’

Novek’s IoT-enabled vending machines help kiosk owners in Kenya sell washing powder in the quantities its shoppers can afford, without excess plastic packaging.

Mastercard and WIRED Middle East recently joined forces to celebrate women in the tech industry and inspire the next generation of female leaders.

As the digital economy becomes a more connected place where commerce thrives, it’s essential that everyone has access to it. We at Mastercard are passionate about driving financial inclusion in locally relevant ways.

As part of our commitment to empower female entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia and the wider region, we have launched the second season of our award-winning podcast series ‘Her Voice’.  

Mastercard signed a strategic agreement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) that will allow tech-enabled companies to issue their own payment cards through the bank using Mastercard’s technology.

A campaign in the U.A.E. and Egypt will deliver two million meals to hungry schoolchildren through the World Food Programme with support from Amazon.

Mastercard is leveraging its partnerships and technology to make in-game payments easier, curate more immersive experiences, deliver fan-first touchpoints, and stage unforgettable moments for gamers to enjoy.

The Online Retail in South Africa 2023 report, released by World Wide Worx in conjunction with Mastercard, showed that online shopping shot up from 27% of adult South Africans in 2020 to 38% in 2022.

The world thrives when fintech companies have access to the technology they need to democratize finances. Through partnerships, we can close the digital divide, co-create solutions, and innovate for real impact to accelerate the shift to a cashless economy.

To date, over 3.5 million girls in 60 countries have benefited from the inquiry-based educational program that is available in 20 languages, including Arabic. Mastercard is halfway to achieving its goal of reaching 5 million girls globally by 2025.

Mastercard entered a strategic partnership with e&, a UAE-based technology and investment group that is undergoing a major transformation. The collaboration will enable consumers and businesses in 16 markets across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa

As Mastercard celebrates twenty-five years of “Priceless”, we are proud to showcase twenty-five women leaders from around the world who are making a difference on a global scale.

For 31 years, Imelda Ngunzu’s mother taught at a rural Kenyan school that didn’t even have power. Today it has a library and digital lab built in memory of her late mother.

The Cape Wine Auction, one of the world’s most renowned charity wine auctions, opened its doors to wine connoisseurs and philanthropists from across the globe for the 10th time. The event unites the industry around the common goal of raising money for education.

The Mastercard Trust Center helps SMEs to defend their critical assets, business, and reputation by providing online access to cybersecurity research, curated education, resources, and tools from Mastercard and trusted external sources.

In the darkest of times, ordinary people have become everyday heroes, and government and businesses have formed powerful partnerships to mobilize resources to keep the economy going.

Mastercard has partnered with the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and Network International to roll out the first transit payment ecosystem in its capital city Amman

At Mastercard, we continue to leverage our technology, insights, global expertise, and partnership approach to empower every business everywhere to grow digitally and become stronger than before.

At Mastercard, we focus on connecting and powering an inclusive digital economy that benefits everyone everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible.

To help small and medium-sized businesses, we launched the Mastercard Start Path Ukraine initiative, which provides mentoring and financial aid.

Small businesses are recognizing the practical benefits of digitalization in day-to-day operations, as opposed to viewing it as a long-term project for the future.

Employees from Mastercard's Eastern Europe, Middle East and North America region climbed Mardi Himal. It was the trip of a lifetime — and a trip that could change lives for Nepalese children.

In this ecosystem full of potential, Mastercard has an important role to play. We are excited about nurturing the region’s fintech landscape through innovative strategy, strong collaboration, and acquisitions.

In Africa alone, 9 in 10 people said that they’re willing to take individual action to combat environmental and sustainability issues, making this a key focus area for governments and businesses.

Mastercard was honored with the Ukraine Peace Prize. Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, announced the award to recognize the companies, governments, and world politicians who have supported the country during the ongoing conflict.

Digital transformation harbors great potential for emerging markets who want to build strong, modern, resilient digital economies, and Georgia is no exception.

With small businesses representing 98 percent of all businesses, creating more than half of the private sector workforce and contributing a third to South Africa’s GDP, the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will only aggravate an already struggling economy.

There are some things that money can’t buy; for everything else, there’s Mastercard. This simple sentence uttered 25 years ago, captured the imagination of millions and thrust Mastercard’s Priceless campaign onto the global platform.

A nonprofit initiative that supplies villages with pumps for clean drinking water has blossomoned into a tree restoration plan that brings jobs to local women.

Mastercard Farm Pass is helping farmers digitize their operations, access new buyers, and secure capital to grow.

Nigeria’s Mono is bringing financial innovation to Africa — and boosting financial inclusion — through open banking.

Seymur Rasulov, whose Azeri-based SmilePay is part of Mastercard Start Path’s latest cohort, says facial recognition can transform the financial ecosystem for consumers.

In Lagos, Modupeola Lucy Asuku’s store grew in baby steps, nurtured by microloans and access to e-commerce.

The technology is being used to ensure traceability in supply chains, and smallholder cattle farmers hope it can help jump-start beef exports.

In this podcast, we speak to Mastercard experts and business leaders across the Middle East and Africa and around the world who are working together to build a more inclusive and sustainable digital economy that works for everyone, everywhere.

When it comes to fighting climate change, there is only one way to make a tangible impact: by joining forces. Partnerships are crucial to building a greener future for all. Living and working sustainably is the only way we can protect our planet for generations to come, and everyone must be on board.

As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of an evolving pandemic, digital transformation presents organizations with a historic need for resilient leadership that can turn ideas into action and lead people to a better future with empathy

As the Official Payment Technology Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, Mastercard is leveraging the mega event as a platform to build a more inclusive and connected future.

Now, as Expo 2020 Dubai is upon us, revealing how it is connecting minds and creating the future, the element that really stands out for me, is partnership.

With a history of women often feeling they should simply be content with what they have, it is wonderful to see more and more support for women to persevere and pursue the extraordinary, reach for the stars, and achieve the until-now-impossible.

The pandemic is a watershed moment for gender equality and an African Union report notes the importance of a gendered perspective in the analysis of this multi-dimensional event, to improve outcomes for women, and the wider society that benefits when women contribute.

As long as people are trapped in a cash economy, they are locked out of many economic opportunities in the financial mainstream.