Over Sh13.6 trillion needed for Africa digital identification drive

Dar es Salaam. The World Bank Group has said that an estimated Sh13.6 trillion ($6 billion) is needed to meet Africa’s digital identification and civil registration needs.

Through the Identification for Development (ID4D) initiative, the World Bank Group is providing a comprehensive package of financial and technical support at national- and regional-levels in Africa.

Nearly Sh2.2 trillion ($1 billion) is being mobilized for digital identification and civil registration projects across 30 countries of which 23care in Africa, a statement released to the media indicates.

According to a statement, African leaders, the World Bank Group, the United Nations, and other development partners met on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly for the African Leaders Roundtable on Identification for Development to catalyze collective action, boost financial support, and harness innovation for the digital identification and civil registration agenda in Africa.

The World Bank Group also announced Mission Billion, an innovation challenge to tackle the most critical issues in digital identification.

“Half of the one billion ‘invisible’ people without a formal identity are in Africa. No ID means no access to health, education, social protection and other vital services.” said Kristalina Georgieva, World

Bank CEO and Co-Chair of the ID4D High Level Advisory Council.

“We must work together to create inclusive and trusted digital IDb systems that can unlock economic opportunities for the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Digital identification systems in Africa, designed and implemented responsibly, offer long term dividends for financial inclusion, improved governance, the empowerment of women and girls, trade and migration for regional integration, and enable governments to invest in human capital by increasing access to health and education services, and social safety nets for the poor.

The World Bank Group’s Identification for Development (ID4D) initiative estimates that 1 billion people around the world are unable to prove their identity, with over half living in Africa.

According to UNICEF, nearly two-thirds of children in Africa under the age of five do not have a birth certificate. Among the 99 countries included in the 2017 ID4D-Findex survey, Africa is home to 9 of the 10 countries with the lowest identity coverage, and 7 of the 10 countries with the widest gaps in coverage between men and women.

“Digital identification can play an important role in achieving the sustainable development goals. It can enable the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people to gain access to critical services, from education to healthcare and financing, while also advancing their legal and political rights,” said Amina Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Co-Chair of the ID4D High Level Advisory Council.

Chairman of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and a Member of the World Bank’s ID4D High Level Advisory Council, Mo Ibrahim, said, if half of Africa our population cannot prove who they are, how can they engage and exercise their rights? Africa must get this right and be bold.

“We need a common approach across Africa to not only provide people with a way to prove who they are, but also put in place responsible and trusted systems which respect people’s right to privacy,” he said.

 Ends

Through the project the World Bank will provide technical and financial support. The move will enable the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people to gain access to critical services, from education to healthcare and financing, while also advancing their legal and political rights.

SUMMARY

African leaders, the World Bank Group, the United Nations, and other development partners discussed on Tuesday actions to boost financial support, and harness innovation for the digital identification and civil registration agenda in Africa.