Hi everyone! Hope we are all in this combat together! Together we will win! The new normality is a real “assault course” and we must get used to it!

As a coordinator for the African region and Vice President –– I am delighted with the tremendous level of interaction and the feedback I receive from the over 200 members who have had the opportunity to make some transactions during this unprecedented era. Our online services have been rated excellent. They were able to modify the list of beneficiaries and make transfer requests from their comfort zone - AMFIE secretariat’s prompt requests processing has been remarkable! In fact, it seemed it was business as usual, given how the secretariat readied itself to the future.

Yes, disruption creates opportunity! As my good friend Meaghan said – “Disruption can shake us up and catapult us out of our comfort zones. Disruption provides clarity, focus and more control over our future”. Our members here are now in the know. AMFIE’s due diligence processes are part and parcel of their life! They have time to concentrate on their personal affairs – recertification and resubmission of renewed passports to AMFIE secretariat continued despite the “confinement”.

I was amazed at the responsiveness of our new members! They were courageous to give it a spin despite the lockdown. They braved it out by managing disruption! From one to one presentations online, to one to one physical meeting – wearing masks and observing the 1-meter distancing, managing printing and photocopying documents challenges – every little step counts, every little step was indeed an uphill task in the new normality. Covid-19 has come to stay, just as artificial intelligence has come to stay! Tough people get going through the tough times!  Our dear continent is thriving, while Google map hardly locates my residence … Despite this we are stronger together. Thumbs up to our marvelous warriors - 15 new members from the African Development Bank joined our association from May to August 2020! 

My only regret is the war against physical touch! Distancia!  But that just means that artificial intelligence has come to stay! Let’s embrace it and overcome it! Yes, together we can!

Rita Umeh-Okoyeocha