Vanuatu holds consultations on digital ID system implementation

The government of Vanuatu is holding consultations with several stakeholders to fine-tune a Digital Transformation Bill that will introduce a national digital ID system.

John Jack, director of the Department of Communication and Digital Information (DCDT) discussed a number of issues related to the raft legislation recently, as reported by the national public service broadcaster VBTC.

Jack stated that the digital ID system will modernize and streamline access to public services in the South Pacific Ocean nation.

According to the official, the digital ID will facilitate the putting in place of a digital government ecosystem, thanks in large part to the outcome of a civil registration program supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

He said the digital ID will be built on the civil registry which holds the records of about 98 percent of citizens in the country.

With digital ID comes risk of data security and privacy and Jack said the government is fully aware of that. He revealed that facial recognition will be part of the security layer needed for identity verification.

The DCTD boss also addressed questions about the country’s readiness in embracing a digital ID system. He admitted that digital literacy in the country is very low, but the government is deploying measures to make sure that the situation ameliorates as time goes on.

Meanwhile, as part of the digital ID implementation, the DCDT early this month signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Engineering Business Services Limited (EBS) and Code 200 Solutions Ltd. The two entities, which are local ICT companies, will help the government in the technical design, development, and integration of the digital ID platform, according to an announcement.

The move to introduce digital ID in Vanuatu follows other efforts by the government to strengthen the country’s legal identity system.

Late last year, for instance, authorities made the national ID a universal patient identifier in all of its provinces. Officials said the ID card will replace provincial hospital patient numbers to streamline patient identification and access to care.

This move aligns with the government’s push to modernize Vanuatu’s healthcare system under the 2025-2030 Digital Health Strategy. The blueprint that was developed with assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO), is based on five major pillars, namely to strengthen health information system, improve continuity of patient care, put in place a climate-resilient health system, and fortify foundational infrastructure.

Article Topics

civil registration  |  digital ID  |  government services  |  legal identity  |  UNDP  |  Vanuatu