Gemalto to establish biometric register for Congo government

The Democratic Republic of Congo has contracted Gemalto to help the electoral body compile a biometric register and to conduct the upcoming elections in November, according to a report by Africa News.

Gemalto will provide 22,000 mobile biometric voter enrollment kits to the Independent Electoral Commission of the Democratic Republic of Congo (CENI).

“We needed a reliable partner to facilitate our ambitious program, which we expect will enroll up to 45 million voters,” said Corneille Nangaa, president of CENI. “With a wealth of experience in enrollment and voter registry applications in Africa and beyond, Gemalto offered an excellent technical fit, and the ability to react quickly to our requirements.”

The mobile biometric voter enrollment kits will support over 18,000 enrollment centers to generate a comprehensive and updated national voter register by collecting the photographs, fingerprints and signatures of citizens as well as issuing them personalized voter cards for the upcoming polls.

Gemalto will also help CENI train the operators as well as provide maintenance and support during the complete registration project, which is considered to be one of the largest in Africa.

“Our secure mobile enrollment solution will enable CENI to establish a reliable and respected voter registry, based on indisputable biometric data, and provide all the flexibility required to set up voter registration bureau all across the country,” said Frederic Trojani, executive vice president for government programs at Gemalto. “Above all else, it provides the Democratic Republic of Congo with a trusted foundation towards free, fair and transparent elections.”

Previously reported, Mexican bank BBVA Bancomer has deployed Gemalto’s Ezio Suite to validate transactions, prevent fraud and phishing attacks with quick-to-deploy authentication and transaction signing solutions that defend against attacks and maintain best in class user experience.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric enrollment  |  biometrics  |  Democratic Republic of Congo  |  elections  |  Gemalto  |  identity verification  |  voter registration