NEC shares biometrics expertise with UN’s World Food Programme

NEC Corporation has signed a strategic technology partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) to share its know-how in biometric technology to improve food aid programs, the company announced as the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) launches in Yokohama, Japan.

NEC will assist WFP in further growing its digital identity and beneficiary services management platform to ensure sustainable development in Africa. Governed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiated by the United Nations, the partnership will specifically aim to “end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.” WFP is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and claims to help some 91.4 million people fight hunger every year in 83 countries.

“It is an honor for NEC to be contributing to the global activities of WFP with our expertise in IT and biometric authentication technology,” said Nobuhiro Endo, Chairman of the Board, NEC Corporation.

“As the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7) takes place with a focus on ‘digital reform’ in support of humanitarian causes in Africa, this MoU will help to bring about a digital transformation that is both in line with TICAD7’s objectives and helps to promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

The WFP recently reached a deal to end a stand-off over biometric controls of aid delivery in Yemen.

NEC will further cooperate and share its expertise on advanced biometric solutions with international organizations, NGOs and governments, as part of its efforts to help build a safe and equal society, the company says.

The TICAD7 event in Yokohama, provides Japanese government and business officials will have a chance to interact with African leaders to discuss opportunities to get involved in African economies, reports The Japan Times.

Japan, China and Russia have expressed a growing interest in African businesses following regional economic growth of 4.3 percent between 2000 and 2017. Countries are now competing to be more involved, and while China is ahead of the game with almost 4,000 businesses present on the continent, Japan is instead focusing on delivering quality services and on human resources development assistance.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  humanitarian  |  Japan  |  NEC  |  SDG 16.9  |  social security  |  United Nations