THE drafting of the required supportive legislation for Fiji’s national digital identification system has been approved by the National Identification (ID) Steering Committee in its inaugural meeting last Friday. The committee is co-chaired by Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica and Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor Arif Ali.
Governor Ali said the partnership with government and other stakeholders will lay the groundwork for a transition to a standardised and universal national ID that will enable access to critical services.
“The committee will be meeting regularly to ensure we put in place a framework to ensure the national ID facilitates the effective delivery of essential public and private services,” he said.
On the committee’s discussion agenda were initiatives to provide a unified and accessible form of identification that enhanced security, efficiency and inclusivity across various sectors including healthcare, social welfare, finance and education.
Mr Kamikamica said the ID system will not only streamline access to vital services but will also empower citizens by giving them a reliable and secure means of identification in an increasingly digital world.
“It will require the support of numerous government agencies and partners and this meeting sets the platform for the work ahead,” Mr Kamikamica said.
During the meeting, committee members were informed that studies by the McKinsey Global Institute showed that countries with well-functioning digital ID systems could boost their economic potential from between approximately three to13 percent.
The committee approved the following in its inaugural meeting:
o The high-level Governance structure, including the setting of various Working Groups;
o The projected budget and project timeline;
o Drafting of the required supportive legislation;
o Periodic update to the Cabinet on the progress of the project; and
o Engagement with key stakeholders for the project.
Other committee members are Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad, Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga, Attorney-General Graham Leung and Solicitor-General Ropate Lomavatu.
The Asian Development Bank is supporting the project through technical assistance.
