Sri Lanka partners with MOSIP to develop its digital ID ecosystem

The Government of Sri Lanka is using MOSIP to design and develop its foundational digital ID system and prepare a national scheme for digital governance using open-source software.

This is according to an announcement from MOSIP, which says the move follows a partnership it entered into with the Government of Sri Lanka and the country’s Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA).

Since the deal was reached in October 2020, work has been ongoing and the project is now at the level of field registrations. As of April, a Proof of Concept (PoC) on an end-to-end demonstration of the digital ID system had been successfully completed, the announcement notes.

The ICTA was involved in government talks on developing a digital identity card containing biometric data last year.

MOSIP, as part of its engagement with Sri Lanka, will help the government in evaluating, customizing, and adapting the platform to its foundational digital ID requirements. The parties are confident the successful completion of the PoC will create Digital Public Goods and the enabling environment for a national digital ID rollout in Sri Lanka.

Professor Lalith Gamage, chairman of the ICTA, expressed gratitude to IIIT-Bangalore for partnering with the agency, saying the system will deliver a better user experience, streamlined operations, increased security, cost-efficiency and scaled down fraud.

“A national digital ID system is certainly the first step in building a digitally inclusive society. For this to be effective, having a high citizen enrollment is key to ensure that everyone has access to the same government services and experiences the same level of simplicity and security when they are signing up for services or transacting online,” Gamage said. “MOSIP’s modular architecture, easy configuration, and customization, enables countries the flexibility to build their foundational digital ID systems in a cost-effective manner… We are hopeful that all citizens will embrace this initiative positively and support the national vision of building a smart nation.”

Professor Sadagopan, director of IIIT-Bangalore, said: “We are delighted to support Sri Lanka on the adoption of MOSIP as the backbone of their foundational digital ID system. We are hopeful that these strides will help establish strong digital ID systems in Sri Lanka, at scale and with sustainability.”

MOSIP hopes its adoption will be successful not only in Sri Lanka but also in other developing nations seeking to develop flexible and trustworthy digital identity ecosystems.

Tech5 recently integrated its biometric software with MOSIP’s platform to deliver Guinea’s national ID card program.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital identity  |  government services  |  identity management  |  MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform)  |  national ID  |  open source  |  Sri Lanka