Emirates Post offers money transfer

A new speedy and secure means of transferring money to anywhere through 70 post offices across the UAE has been set up.

Emirates Post, and Western Union Financial Services Inc., entered into a tie-up and announced their International Money Transfer Service agreement yesterday.

Money transfer transactions will now take place via a direct link between Emirates Post's nationwide systems and Western Union's World-Wide network that covers 186 countries and territories across the globe in over 110,000 locations.

Abdullah Al Daboos, Emirates Post Director General, said: "This service will provide Emirates Post's clients with a convenient, reliable, and fast money postal transfer."

Carlo Betti-Berutto, Regional Vice President, Middle-East, Gulf and South Asia, Western Union, said: "The tie-up with Emirates Post is an endeavour from our end to also connect to millions of users and non users of Postal Services across the world. Western Union's global network and its proprietary technology coupled with Emirates Post's extensive network across the UAE is a potent combination for people who need to send money quickly and safely."

To avail of this service, the remitter should go to any post office branch and complete a "To send money" form.

The form should be filled and handed over along with the money. The sender gets a Money Transfer Control Number on receipt.

The sender can then call up the receiver and inform them that the money has been sent. The receiver, in turn, has to go to any Western Union agent and complete a "To Receive Money" form, show identification and receive the money along with the receipt.

The entire process is completed within a few minutes.

WESTERN UNION ADDS EMIRATES POST TO GROWING NETWORK
DENVER, June 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC), a global leader in electronic commerce and payment services, today announced that its Western Union Financial Services subsidiary has signed an agreement with the United Arab Emirates General Postal Authority. Under the agreement, in July 2002, the Emirates Post will begin offering Western Union Money Transfer(R) services in 15 pilot locations throughout the United Arab Emirates. The companies anticipate expanding to the remaining 55 Emirates Post locations in early 2003.

The agreement significantly expands Western Union's presence throughout the United Arab Emirates to 184 agent locations, increasing the total number of Western Union agent locations in the MESA Region (Middle East & South Asia) to more than 6,100 locations.

Emirates Post is the latest addition to Western Union's growing network of international Post Offices. The company currently has agreements with nearly 70 postal organizations, including India Post, China Post, La Poste in France and Deutsche Post in Germany. Western Union's relationships with the world's postal organizations offer it unique growth opportunities. These organizations provide a large, stable network of locations in both rural communities and urban centers, allowing Western Union to extend availability of its services to all segments of the population.

"Western Union continues to expand availability of its services internationally," said Bill Thomas, president, Western Union International. "As the world's population continues to migrate in search of opportunity, Western Union's increased presence around the world insures that we will be where our customers need us, when they need us. The addition of the Emirates Post to our international agent network allows Western Union to better serve the large UAE community in the world and the millions of expatriates living in the Emirates who continue to provide financial support to their loved ones back home."

"Emirates Post has always been keen to introduce a variety of quality services to enhance our customers satisfaction," said Abdulla Al Daboos, director general of the Emirates Post. "We are proud to have come together with Western Union to boost the money transfer business and to introduce a tailor-made service to the market. This alliance will provide Emirates Post's clients with access to convenient, reliable, and fast money transfer services."