Integrated Biometrics says ID4Africa “exceeded our expectations”

Integrated Biometrics reports a highly successful engagement at the 2016 ID4Africa international forum in Kigali, Rwanda.

The three-day event, held in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, was the second annual government meeting of the ID4Africa Movement. ID4Africa bills itself as a multi-stakeholder movement and organization that promotes the transparent and responsible adoption of digital ID management in the service of development in Africa. The organization’s aim is to share experiences and establish real world best practices that set the correct expectations for what is involved in launching and sustaining successful identity programs.

“There was a dramatic increase in attendance and participation from countries across the African continent. The bar was definitely set higher by the organizers, and it exceeded our expectations,” said Jim Seaborn, Integrated Biometrics VP. “There’s no question the speakers and attendees were focused on addressing issues related to biometrics for national ID and commercial programs, like mobility and funding.”

Delegates from 36 African and 29 non-African countries convened at the annual event to discuss developing successful eID schemes. More than 600 participants attended this year’s Forum, along with an exhibitor space featuring nearly 60 companies. The World Bank, African Development Bank, the African Union, and the French Development Agency were some of the high-profile international organizations in attendance looking to help governments overcome obstacles to implementing biometric enrollment and verification solutions in order to enable national ID programs.

“Digital Identity: The Practical Guide” was the theme of ID4Africa 2016, which comes on the heels of the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 16.9 which calls on member states to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030. Leading identity experts participated in workshops at the Forum and presented topics related to linking civil registration and national ID; applying identity systems in support of democracy, elections, and social protection, and; issues surrounding privacy and data protection.

Integrated Biometrics showcased its latest innovations in technologies and solutions pertinent to identity and security. The combined Exposition and Forum format created numerous opportunities for interaction among identity authorities, development agencies, and solution providers.

“Integrated Biometrics embedded biometric fingerprint sensors were evident in many of the Exposition’s booths as solution providers displayed the latest in desktop and mobile identity management solutions; we had a substantial number of partners who were referring attendees to our booth and vice versa, the interest was incredibly high,” Seaborn explained.

BiometricUpdate.com was the official journalist for ID4Africa. Read all our coverage from the event.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric enrollment  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  eID  |  fingerprint technology  |  ID4Africa  |  identity verification  |  Integrated Biometrics  |  national ID