Mali unveils new biometric passport with Emptech as supplier

Chinese biometrics firm Emptech is the supplier of Mali’s new biometric passport which was officially launched a few days ago.

The travel document is modelled in line with the new passport regime of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which broke away from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) early this year.

The AES passport was launched on the same day these three countries formally severed ties with the West African regional bloc following many months of a political and diplomatic fight over military coups.

The new Mali passport was launched on Monday October 27 at the Passport Processing Center in the capital Bamaka, APA News reports.

First copies of the passport have already been handed to some citizens, and mass production is expected to happen in the days ahead, with the national police expected to clarify the requirements for passport applications.

The government says old passports with validity shall remain in use, and there’s no need to change them until their expiry.

Security and Civil Protection Minister, Major General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, is quoted during the launch ceremony as praising the initiative, saying it marks a new beginning in efforts to strengthen the security of the country’s official travel document. He noted that it complies with the security standards for travel documents recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), among other important features.

The innovation that comes with the passport, he added, reflects the Malian government’s efforts to modernize the delivery of public services and streamline how citizens access them.

With the unveiling of the new passport comes a slash in fees, according to APA News. The price of a standard passport has been reduced from XAF 55,000 (US$97) to XAF 45,000 (US$79).

Emptech lands the Mali deal after several months of efforts to further stamp its feet on the African identity and biometrics market.

The company is also the producer of new biometric passports in the other AES state, Burkina Faso. Production of the passport was launched in September last year, with Military President, Ibrahim Traore, being the first citizen to receive a copy.

Before now, Mali’s passport was produced by French company Idemia.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric passport  |  biometrics  |  Emperor Technology  |  Mali  |  Sahel  |  travel documents