Latest news with #BPC
Fintech News ME
4 days ago
- Business
- Fintech News ME
MDP Builds Advanced Processing Hub with BPC in the MEA Region
MDP, a longstanding player in Africa's card issuing and processing sector, is reinforcing its position across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) through a strategic collaboration with global payment solutions provider BPC. The partnership has resulted in the development of a next-generation third-party processing centre, built using BPC's SmartVista platform, aimed at delivering secure, scalable, and integrated payment services throughout the region. With this technology, MDP has established a modular stack that integrates issuing, acquiring, and processing services. This architecture enables the company to serve banks, fintechs, and merchants across the MEA region with increased flexibility. MDP's objective was to develop a processing hub capable of offering comprehensive services while accommodating the evolving needs of its clients. The rollout followed a phased go-live approach, with each SmartVista module activated in line with new client onboarding. This strategy allowed MDP to scale operations in parallel with market expansion. SmartVista's card management capabilities support the issuance of tailored debit, credit, and prepaid products for business clients. On the acquiring side, the platform facilitates acceptance of Visa, Mastercard, and EBC-branded cards across MDP's network. Fraud prevention and 3D Secure ACS are also incorporated into the service offering. Central to the setup is the SmartVista Integration Platform, which, through the use of advanced APIs, allows MDP to develop and manage its own API gateway in-house. This enhances client onboarding and responsiveness to market shifts, while maintaining system stability. Currently, MDP serves over 260 financial institutions in more than 40 countries, positioning it among the more established processors in the MEA region. Its focus on infrastructure, local talent, and product development has supported the launch of various payment solutions, from closed-loop card systems to open-loop services for emerging digital platforms. Commenting on the collaboration, Usama El Sayed, Managing Director MEA at BPC, said: 'We are proud to be the technology partner of MDP, helping the processor drive innovation and deliver payment experience through the MEA market. With SmartVista's advanced, modular design, MDP can launch, migrate, and innovate at speed, building an ecosystem from scratch and elevating digital payments across the region.' Ahmed Nafie, CEO of MDP, added: 'Through our collaboration with BPC and the SmartVista platform, we have redefined what it means to be a processor in today's market, delivering not just services, but scalable ecosystems that enable innovation and financial inclusion across the region. Our commitment to regional demands and financial growth remains at the heart of everything we do.'
Sky News
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
British Palestinians call UK plan to recognise Palestinian state 'absurd and performative'
British Palestinians have called Sir Keir Starmer's decision to recognise Palestine as a state if Israel does not abide by conditions "absurd and performative" - and will not allay concerns about people in Gaza. After recalling his cabinet ministers from parliamentary recess on Tuesday, the prime minister said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state by September if Israel agrees to end the "appalling situation in Gaza". The British Palestinian Committee (BPC), which represents the experiences of Palestinians in the UK, sent Sir Keir a letter ahead of the meeting urging him to take actions they said could make a real difference to people in Gaza. They had urged him to not recognise Palestine as a state, calling it "symbolic" and said it "will not end the genocide and must not be used to deflect from accountability". After Sir Keir announced his plan to recognise Palestine, Dr Sarah Husseini, BPC director, told Sky News the plan is "absurd while Israel continues to exterminate and starve women, men and children". She added: "What is needed is urgent accountability for the genocide in Gaza and an end to UK military support to the state committing these crimes. "This performative announcement does little to allay the concerns of Palestinians in this country. It will not relieve the government of its legal duties, and it will not silence the calls from the British public to end British complicity in the atrocities being livestreamed to their phones." 2:39 The war has now been going on for 21 months after it was sparked by Hamas militants killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages on 7 October 2023. The militant group still holds 50 hostages, of whom only 20 are believed to be alive. Sir Keir had been under pressure from his own MPs and other UK political parties, notably since France last week said it will recognise Palestine as a state, but had resisted - saying recognition needs to be part of a wider peace plan. He has also refused to say whether "genocide" is taking place in Gaza - a claim Israel has vehemently denied. Israel paused fighting in three areas for another 10 hours today to help aid distribution, the third day it has done so amid mounting international condemnation of the scenes of hunger unfolding in Gaza. David Mencer, a spokesperson for the Israeli government, said: "There is no intent, (which is) key for the charge of genocide... it simply doesn't make sense for a country to send in 1.9 million tonnes of aid, most of that being food, if there is an intent of genocide." Israel also rejected Sir Keir's plan and accused him of pandering to his MPs and the French. The Israeli foreign ministry said: "The shift in the British government's position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages." In the BPC's letter, it had said the government has "not only a political and moral obligation, but a legal obligation" to take three steps. They are: • Preventing and punishing Israel's "genocide" in Gaza and to end "all complicity in it" • Apply "immediate and comprehensive sanctions on Israel" • Safeguard the rights to freedom of expression and assembly in the UK More specifically, the group called on Sir Keir to end "all forms of military collaboration, urgently review all public contracts to ensure they are not aiding unlawful occupation or genocidal acts, and support universal jurisdiction mandates". 22:05 The group said these steps would help towards ending the starvation crisis in Gaza, which it said had been made possible "due to the impunity granted to" Israel and "compounded by the active military, economic and diplomatic support from states such as the UK". They also accused the UK government of introducing "draconian legislation to limit the rights" of British citizens campaigning to end the atrocities "and British complicity in those atrocities" - in reference to Palestine Action being designated as a terrorist organisation.
Sky News
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
British Palestinians call UK plan to recognise Palestinian state 'ubsurd and performative'
British Palestinians have called Sir Keir Starmer's decision to recognise Palestine as a state if Israel does not abide by conditions "absurd and performative" - and will not allay concerns about people in Gaza. After recalling his cabinet ministers from parliamentary recess on Tuesday, the prime minister said the UK will recognise a Palestinian state by September if Israel agrees to end the "appalling situation in Gaza". The British Palestinian Committee (BPC), which represents the experiences of Palestinians in the UK, sent Sir Keir a letter ahead of the meeting urging him to take actions they said could make a real difference to people in Gaza. They had urged him to not recognise Palestine as a state, calling it "symbolic" and said it "will not end the genocide and must not be used to deflect from accountability". After Sir Keir announced his plan to recognise Palestine, Dr Sarah Husseini, BPC director, told Sky News the plan is "absurd while Israel continues to exterminate and starve women, men and children". She added: "What is needed is urgent accountability for the genocide in Gaza and an end to UK military support to the state committing these crimes. "This performative announcement does little to allay the concerns of Palestinians in this country. It will not relieve the government of its legal duties, and it will not silence the calls from the British public to end British complicity in the atrocities being livestreamed to their phones." 2:39 The war has now been going on for 21 months after it was sparked by Hamas militants killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages on 7 October 2023. The militant group still holds 50 hostages, of whom only 20 are believed to be alive. Sir Keir had been under pressure from his own MPs and other UK political parties, notably since France last week said it will recognise Palestine as a state, but had resisted - saying recognition needs to be part of a wider peace plan. He has also refused to say whether "genocide" is taking place in Gaza - a claim Israel has vehemently denied. Israel paused fighting in three areas for another 10 hours today to help aid distribution, the third day it has done so amid mounting international condemnation of the scenes of hunger unfolding in Gaza. David Mencer, a spokesperson for the Israeli government, said: "There is no intent, (which is) key for the charge of genocide... it simply doesn't make sense for a country to send in 1.9 million tonnes of aid, most of that being food, if there is an intent of genocide." Israel also rejected Sir Keir's plan and accused him of pandering to his MPs and the French. The Israeli foreign ministry said: "The shift in the British government's position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages." In the BPC's letter, it had said the government has "not only a political and moral obligation, but a legal obligation" to take three steps. They are: • Preventing and punishing Israel's "genocide" in Gaza and to end "all complicity in it" • Apply "immediate and comprehensive sanctions on Israel" • Safeguard the rights to freedom of expression and assembly in the UK More specifically, the group called on Sir Keir to end "all forms of military collaboration, urgently review all public contracts to ensure they are not aiding unlawful occupation or genocidal acts, and support universal jurisdiction mandates". 22:05 The group said these steps would help towards ending the starvation crisis in Gaza, which it said had been made possible "due to the impunity granted to" Israel and "compounded by the active military, economic and diplomatic support from states such as the UK". They also accused the UK government of introducing "draconian legislation to limit the rights" of British citizens campaigning to end the atrocities "and British complicity in those atrocities" - in reference to Palestine Action being designated as a terrorist organisation.
Sky News
29-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
PM urged to take three key steps ahead of emergency cabinet meeting on Gaza
British Palestinians have called on Sir Keir Starmer to take "immediate, concrete" steps on Gaza instead of "focusing on a symbolic gesture" of recognising it as a state ahead of an emergency cabinet meeting. The prime minister has recalled his cabinet ministers from parliamentary recess for a meeting at 2pm, when they will discuss what the UK's next steps should be, after Sir Keir held meetings with Donald Trump yesterday. Ahead of the cabinet meeting, the British Palestinian Committee (BPC), which represents the experiences of Palestinians in the UK, has sent Sir Keir a letter urging him to take actions they say could make a real difference to people in Gaza. The war has now been going on for 21 months after it was sparked by Hamas militants killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages on 7 October 2023. The militant group still holds 50 hostages, of whom only 20 are believed to be alive. The BPC said recognising Palestine as a state is now "symbolic" as it "will not end the genocide and must not be used to deflect from accountability". Sir Keir has been under pressure from his own MPs and other UK political parties, notably since France said it will recognise Palestine as a state, but has so far resisted - saying recognition needs to be part of a wider peace plan. He has so far refused to say whether "genocide" is taking place in Gaza - a claim Israel has vehemently denied. Israel has paused fighting in three areas for another 10 hours today to help aid distribution, the third day it has done so amid mounting international condemnation of the scenes of hunger unfolding in Gaza. David Mencer, a spokesperson for the Israeli government, said: "There is no intent, (which is) key for the charge of genocide... it simply doesn't make sense for a country to send in 1.9 million tonnes of aid, most of that being food, if there is an intent of genocide." 2:39 The BPC, an independent group, said the government has "not only a political and moral obligation, but a legal obligation" to take three steps. They are: • Preventing and punishing Israel's "genocide" in Gaza and to end "all complicity in it" • Apply "immediate and comprehensive sanctions on Israel" • Safeguard the rights to freedom of expression and assembly in the UK More specifically, the group has called on Sir Keir to end "all forms of military collaboration, urgently review all public contracts to ensure they are not aiding unlawful occupation or genocidal acts, and support universal jurisdiction mandates". The group said these steps would help towards ending the starvation crisis in Gaza, which it said had been made possible "due to the impunity granted to" Israel and "compounded by the active military, economic and diplomatic support from states such as the UK". The group also accused the UK government of introducing "draconian legislation to limit the rights" of British citizens campaigning to end the atrocities "and British complicity in those atrocities" - in reference to Palestine Action being designated as a terrorist organisation. 'Immediate steps' Britain can take Dr Sara Husseini, director of the BPC, said: "We wrote to the prime minister to remind the UK cabinet of their legal obligations towards the Palestinian people." She said there are a "number of immediate steps" the British government "can and should be taking", as outlined in the letter. Dr Husseini said 147 countries have already recognised Palestine as a state, and instead of "focusing on a symbolic gesture" it is essential the UK severs diplomatic ties with Israel, institutes a full arms embargo, applies comprehensive sanctions and cuts trade. "Anything short of this amounts to complicity," she added. 22:05 Ahead of the cabinet meeting, senior minister Peter Kyle told Sky News the PM had decided to call an emergency meeting "to discuss all of the actions that Britain can and should be taking at a time like this". He said recognising Palestine as a state is a manifesto commitment but the "real priority" right now is to try to get aid into Gaza.
Zawya
17-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
MDP accelerates growth in MEA with BPC next-generation SmartVista powered processing platform
Cairo, Egypt – MDP, a long-standing leader in Africa's card issuing and processing industry, continues to solidify its position as a trusted payments powerhouse across the Middle East and Africa. In partnership with BPC, global payment solutions provider, MDP has built a next-generation third-party processing center using BPC's SmartVista platform, enabling it to deliver scalable, secure, and innovative payment solutions across the region. By adopting the future-proven technology, MDP built from scratch the business with unified issuing, acquiring, processing services in a single modular stack, enabling the company to serve banks, fintechs, merchants across the Middle East and Africa with unprecedented agility. MDP's vision was clear - to create a powerful processing hub capable of end-to-end services while scaling effortlessly with its clients' evolving needs. The rollout of the project from scratch followed a phased go-live model, activating each BPC SmartVista module as new clients signed on, ensuring accelerated time-to-market and allowing MDP to expand its market share while scaling its platform capabilities in parallel. BPC SmartVista's advanced card-management engine lets MDP offer the issuance of complex personalised Debit, Credit and Prepaid products for the B2B customers. On the acquiring side, SmartVista enables Visa, Mastercard, and EBC branded cards acceptance through all MDP network. A 3D-Secure ACS and fraud management, rounds out MDP's offering. At the heart of the architecture lies SmartVista Integration Platform; by utilising advanced APIs, SmartVista Integration platform allows MDP to build custom APIs Gateway in-house, enabling faster client onboarding and adaptation to market trends, all while maintaining core system stability. Today, MDP serves over 260 financial institutions across more than 40 countries, making it one of the most established processing providers in the region. By continuously investing in infrastructure, local expertise, and product innovation, MDP remains at the forefront of financial inclusion and digital transformation across the continent. Its technology backbone has enabled the launch of numerous pioneering products in the region, from closed-loop cards to open-loop solutions for emerging digital platforms reinforcing its role as a catalyst for innovation. Recently, MDP's achievements were recognized on a regional level, earning a spot among the Top 20 of Forbes' 50 Leading Fintechs in MENA. Usama El Sayed, MD MEA, BPC, said: 'From tier-1 and tier-2 banks to fast-growing fintechs, every customer needs technology that scales on demand. We are proud to be the technology partner of MDP, helping the processor drive innovation and deliver payment experience through the MEA market. With SmartVista's advanced, modular design, MDP can launch, migrate, and innovate at speed, building an ecosystem from scratch and elevating digital payments across the region.' 'Our mission has always been to empower financial institutions with world-class payment technology that's agile, secure, and future-ready,' said Ahmed Nafie, CEO of MDP. 'Through our collaboration with BPC and the SmartVista platform, we have redefined what it means to be a processor in today's market, delivering not just services, but scalable ecosystems that enable innovation and financial inclusion across the region. Our commitment to regional demands & financial growth remains at the heart of everything we do.' About BPC BPC is a proven industry leader that is shaping the world of transactions with quick, safe and easy payment processing. With a focus on exceptional technology development and customer service, BPC helps tier 1, tier 2 financial institutions, fintechs, SMEs and other businesses to deliver innovative and best-in-class proven solutions that fit with today's consumer lifestyle when banking, shopping, or moving in both urban and rural areas. With more than 500 customers across 140 countries, BPC collaborates with all ecosystem players to deliver services for the digital world. Its core product SmartVista suite comprises cutting-edge banking, commerce, and mobility platforms that enable innovative solutions for digital banking, ATM and switching, payments processing, card, and fraud management, financial inclusion, merchant portals, transport, and smart cities. To find out more about how BPC can help businesses deliver a seamless payments processing experience to consumers, please visit About MDP: MDP is the leading payment enabler across Africa & the Middle East. It enables businesses to roll out their financial solutions with end-to-end payment infrastructure offerings – from personalized card production to financial transaction processing and digital payment solutions. MDP has been well-positioned in the market for more than 30+ years and is acknowledged for accelerating payment experiences through a tech-driven approach. MDP embraces the global adoption of innovative, scalable, and secure emerging fintech solutions that provide seamless omnichannel customer experiences. MDP is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, and has an extended footprint in 40+ countries globally.
