Somalia decries plan by autonomous region to create parallel ID system

The Somali government has sharply criticized plans by Puntland, an autonomous region in the federal country, to create its own ID card system. Puntland is a region in Northern Somalia, which in 1998, declared itself an autonomous state under the country’s federal structure.

Recently, the leader of the region through a decree unveiled plans to establish its own ID card, but this move has met with firm reprobation from Somalia’s federal government and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA). They see it as a move that “undermines national unity and violates established law and governance structures.”

“This action is not only legally invalid and irresponsible but also sows confusion and disrupts the federal system, offering no benefit to citizens,” they wrote in a recent press release.

They affirmed that every “Somali citizen has the right to a legal identity, and no one may be denied or obstructed from this right,” and that “any attempt to block or duplicate the national ID system will be viewed as a violation of citizens’ legal rights.”

The Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs, and Reconciliation, via the release, has called on the leadership of Puntland to show a sense of cooperation on the unified national ID project, which the government says it has invested hugely and tirelessly in over the past ten years.

The ministry has urged the region’s authorities to “cooperate constructively in implementing the national ID system and to direct resources toward other essential public services rather than duplicating systems that weaken national unity.”

Somalia has been trying to rebuild its national ID system in the last few years thanks to support from Pakistan’s NADRA after a 30-year disruption provoked principally by political instability.

The government believes that cognizant of these facts and the country’s “economic realities and vast social needs, creating multiple ID systems is not only unsustainable but also irresponsible.”

NIRA and the federal government used the statement to reaffirm the constitutional right of everyone to a national ID card, and restate their commitment to ensuring that a “unified, secure, and inclusive National Identification System” is open and accessible to all Somali citizens in every region of the country.

“The Federal Government of Somalia reiterates that the National Identification System is a constitutional right of every citizen, and as such, it cannot be politicized, obstructed, or fragmented. There will be only one unified national ID system that serves the entire country,” a part for the government statement reads.

“In line with Somalia’s constitutional aspirations and national development goals, the Federal Government has spent the past ten years building a reliable and secure national identification system—an essential pillar for restoring governance and safeguarding national security.”

The government says the national ID card is not only important in facilitating access to public services, it can also make a key contribution to “enhancing internal mobility, fighting terrorism, and facilitating future cross-border travel, particularly within the East African Community, where Somalia is now a full member.”

Above all, authorities note that the national ID system aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9 which seeks to ensure that everyone on the planet is in possession of a legal identity within the next five years.

As part of efforts to encourage adoption of the national ID in Somalia, the government recently made it mandatory for access to services from public and the private sector bodies.

Article Topics

civil registration  |  digital ID  |  identity document  |  identity management  |  legal identity  |  national ID  |  NIRA Somalia  |  Puntland  |  Somalia