Service Delivery and Electronic Identification (eID) - Session 1 - Opening session & Panel discussion 1

Notes from the World Bank workshop on “Service Delivery and Electronic Identification (eID)” in Washington.

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Introduction of the audience

Afghanistan - first time to connect them to an eDevelopment event: members from various ministries

Bangladesh - first time they created a database for eID, trying to learn how to make use of it

India

Mozambique - bank of Mozambique, ministry of interior

Russia - over 30 participants, discussion: problems connected with use of different technologies in eID, barriers & improvements of services, interoperability; representatives of key bodies to introduce eID systems are present

Uganda - representative of the ministry of ICT affairs from Belgium

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Opening Session

Samia Melhem:

This event is a partnership

Schedule: Opening statements, then two presentations, questions, total of 11 sites - questions from there will be mentioned;

Nick Manning, Sector Manager, Latin America / Caribbean Public Sector, World Bank

There are many attempts for eID systems worldwide;

Second agenda: governance - identification is the key tool

Joel Hellman, Sector Manager, South Asia Public Sector, World Bank

Fundamental factors about governance - governance is about power, power over somebody else

Improving technology can improve/rebalance the balance of power - ICTs can empower

There seems to be huge capacity/brain power - the challenge is to make the best use of ICTs and eID is particularly critical

Han Fraeters, Manager, Knowledge Exchange, World Bank Institute

This type of exchange is great - it’s not just about the technical aspects, it’s about an exchange between different countries how to reform

Let’s think about how to make transformation happen

It’s important to have practitioners to learn from each other - they learn on the job, not from textbooks

Laurent Besancon, Senior ICT Policy Specialist, Global ICT Department, World Bank

How to use ICTs to reform/transform governments, how can we support government practitioners/champions to transform governments

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Panel Discussion: Lessons from International Experience

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Overview of international experience and key lessons learned: Bill Nagel, Analyst, Forrester Research

Covers digital identity - responsible for Forrester digital security

eID - key element of security delivery

eID are about identity fraud & are used to deliver government & commercial needs to citizens

privacy vs. range of commercial options

Primary chosen ID - chip-card with public key infrastructure; also possible: mobile phones

eIDs are used for G2C service delivery - health care, voting, social security, tax, shool/work, child safety, public transport

Enhanced commercial services - B2C - eBanking, secure email, …

Development impact - improved impact of service delivery, more transparency - inhibiting corruption

Concerns:

• too high focus on technology - that’s solved, introducing eID is more a process problem;
• Success factors: ease & frequency of use
• privacy concerns - government control over databases & private sector usage; solution by Austria - but harder, more costly, not scaling well
• Interoperability - using ID in various countries

eID has mostly been in place - but there is almost a complete lack of commercial applications - better in Sweden

eID is important in LDCs

• because it can allow people to access government services at all
• mobile phones can help a lot
• eIDs facilitate service delivery to all, even remote areas

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Pakistan Case Study: Ali Arshad Hakeem, Chairman, NADRA

Issued a 70 Mio ID card project just last month

Database for public services

>70 Mio cards issued, 10 000 employees, fingerprints stored, …

National data warehouse

Biggest challenge is the administrative process

NADRA was established in 1999 - young team, technological savvy

• First step - creating a database for ID cards
• Many ID cards
• Working together with different departments
• 95% of men & 64% of women covered

It is essential to think of data in a database structure

Challenges

• Pakistans rural population is underserved by government services
• Terrorism

Challenges to launch the smart cards

• Cost
• Total ~1 Billion
• Smart identity card
• Make savings on card possible
• Offer life and health insurance for everybody
• …
• Banks & insurance companies should pay for the ID cards
• Provide a link between every Pakistani & banks, insurance companies
• Furthermore - ID cards for overseas Pakistanis, for 50$

Conclusion

• Well established registration
• Comprehensive database
• Has to be commercially viable (banks, insurance companies)

Q & A:

Afghanistan: Use of ICT should be adopted in LDC - but countries like Afghanistan lack all the infrastucture. Is it possible to focus on technology in such an environment?

Bangladesh: What is the arrangement for citizens below 18?

Grenada: Concerning legal framework in place for prevention of misuse & discrimination - how are countries expected to provide such a framework? Is somebody providing money & a framework for LDCs?

India: What is the format to assure to have a unique ID? How is the security of the eID assured? What are the challenges of change management? What is the timeframe required for eID projects?

Mozambique: How is it possible to create a database of IDs? How to collect the information? How can you assure that an ID project is secure? Which ministry should have the ownership?

Russia: Tendency towards usage of mobile phones - what are particular examples? What legal acts & norms are needed to make eID legitimate?

Uganda: Cultural issues - how can you make a population appreciate an eID when having lived so long without it?

Mr. Hakeem:

• Change management? there a huge interest in having fake identities; checks and balances have to be in place, NADRA legislation was put up, processes were defined
• Do you share identities? ID cards are verified - they can’t be shared, are connected to one particular person
• Legislation required? Two laws define the framework
• Numbering scheme? numbering scheme involving districts, regions - resulting into a unique number

Bill Nagel:

• Examples for mobile phones? it’s still in its first stages - Finland is exploring it, Turkey, Japan use some services for authentication; there is no complete rollout - but it’s just a matter of time
• Getting population appreciate eIDs? it’s vital to give the population an additional benefit from using them
• How is security maintained? 2 ways - data & chip itself; encryption, biometric fingerprint, PKI
• Children under 18? depends on legal frameworks

Tags: #eid09, eID, electronic id, event, service delivery, world bank

Service Delivery and Electronic Identification (eID) - Session 1 - Opening session & Panel discussion 1 was published on May 7th, 2009 by Florian Sturm.
It files under global.

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