Djibouti unveils biometric mobile ID to enhance access to public services

Digital transformation efforts in Djibouti have gone a notch high with the launch of a biometrics-based mobile ID that seeks to make access to public and private sector services in the country more streamlined.

The ID was launched on February 9 at the end of a national forum on digital identification, and authorities say it is intended not only to expand access to services but to support the government’s digital transformation drive.

The forum, organized by the Ministry of Interior and that of Digital Economy and Innovation, aimed to discuss how identification and other digital public infrastructure initiatives can accelerate Djiboiti’s national development plan.

In his remarks at the forum, President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, described the Mobile ID as “a meaningful advancement in our journey toward digital modernization.”

“It symbolizes, in many respects, Djibouti’s determination to firmly embrace the era of innovation and to make digital technology a powerful lever for development, in line with Vision 2035,” the president noted.

He mentioned that the diversity of persons at the forum signifies the cross-cutting nature of digital identity, describing it not only as a mere technological tool, but something of a highly strategic necessity.

“In a world where public and commercial services are progressively migrating online, where documents are dematerialized and digitized, possessing a reliable, secure, and universally recognized digital identity has become more than indispensable,” Guelleh said as he chronicled the multi-sectoral importance of the newly launched mobile ID.

The benefits of the mobile ID notwithstanding, the president called for enhanced security and trust around the system and warned of “threats of identity theft, digital cloning, hacking, espionage, or foreign interference.”

The Digital Economy and Innovation Minister, Mariam Hamadou Ali, in her own speech during the forum, also underscored the importance of the national mobile ID.

She recalled the foundation that was laid for the Mobile ID project, which included the putting in place of a legal framework “which makes the use of digital identity, electronic signature, online services, and data exchanges possible and legal within a trusted environment.” She also cited the building of cloud and other sovereignty solutions with the involvement of indigenous companies.

The minister added that the Mobile ID aligns with the government’s objective of putting in place a unified architecture for access to public and digital services.

“Mobile ID enables a citizen to securely prove their identity from their mobile phone, without multiplying trips, paper documents, or administrative procedures. Concretely, a citizen will be able to identify themselves to access online public services such as building permits or tax payments without having to travel or resubmit administrative files each time,” she explained.

“It is therefore not an isolated project. It is part of a broader dynamic in which digital technology has become a tool for simplification, efficiency, and trust. Administrations will begin to work differently; services will become more integrated; citizens will progressively perceive concrete changes in their relationship with the State.”

The newly launched Mobile ID can be stored on the national digital wallet (Smart Wallet) which the Djibouti government signed an MoU last year with Visa and Tech5 to develop.

Djibouti, early this month, also launched a process to define a national AI strategy. The strategy drafting process is supported by the UN, and the document will set out guidelines for the responsible, inclusive and ethical development and use of AI in the Horn of Africa country.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  Djibouti  |  government services  |  national ID