The United Nations (but not only) has clearly chosen to focus its push on introducing digital ID systems to some of the world’s developing countries, particularly in Africa.

What’s referred to in reports as “a comprehensive initiative” is now taking place across the continent, driven by the UN development agency UNDP, as well as the UN Innovation Network, and even UNESCO (Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). This is one of the components of what’s known as the UN’s Global Digital Compact.

Such initiatives are sold in those countries as a way to develop better access to services and improve “digital inclusion.”

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But opponents around the world say the schemes create large, centralized surveillance networks prone to misuse, particularly without stringent safeguards in place.

After the UN agencies previously formalized their initiatives in Kenya, it is now the turn of Ethiopia and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) where similar programs are being launched in cooperation with their governments.

In Ethiopia, the government is organizing ID card registration in what’s said to be a large-scale effort that encompasses financial services, healthcare, and education.

In Eswatini, the UNDP, together with the country’s government, carried out a digital readiness assessment. The goal was to find out if Eswatini’s digital infrastructure in various sectors is capable of implementing digital ID programs at this time.

It would appear not since the result of the evaluation revealed more money needs to go into developing that infrastructure, as well as training staff, and further developing both public and private digital services. The latter are supposed to take on an increasingly important role, as has previously been done in other African countries.

UN’s representative in Eswatini is quoted as saying that the results of the assessment program will be used to put together a roadmap to improve digital infrastructure and associated employee skills – that would then lead to the introduction of digital IDs.

Eswatini government officials spoke along the same line, saying that the country’s Digital Transformation Strategy will benefit from the results of the UN’s assessment, eventually leading to “integrated digital services.”

Various digital ID projects, either discussed or tested elsewhere in the world are typically unpopular, facing low uptake and constant pushback from both privacy and security advocates.

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