Mauritania launches digital ID app to improve access to services and improve governance

Mauritania has initiated a pilot program for a new digital ID application, aiming to enhance access to essential services and improve governance, according to the trade publication Biometric.com. Spearheaded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the initiative seeks to provide verifiable digital identities to the Mauritanian population. 

The project, launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Public Sector Modernization (MTNIMA), features a mobile-based digital identity tool called e-ID Mauritania. This app will allow citizens to authenticate their identities online, with the goal of promoting social inclusion, reducing fraud, and streamlining administrative processes.

This initiative aligns with global trends towards digital public infrastructure (DPI), highlighted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace as crucial for enhancing service delivery and economic development. Despite the potential benefits, challenges such as system development capacity, procurement issues, and ensuring sustainability remain.