The World Bank has published “Lebanon ID Diagnostic” and “Lebanon Digital ID Use Cases” reports to support the design and implementation of digital ID in Lebanon.
The reports argue for the critical role of digital identity in facilitating the country’s digital transformation and enhancing the efficiency of public and private services. They also underscore the importance of biometric data in ensuring reliable identity verification, with the current Lebanese national ID (NID) card system incorporating biometric information such as fingerprints to uniquely identify individuals over the age of 15.
The Lebanon ID Diagnostic report provides an overview of the foundational identity ecosystem in Lebanon, which includes the civil registry and the national identification systems. The current NID card system, first introduced in 1997, collects biometric data and issues unique identification numbers, which are important for various sectoral applications. The report identifies significant challenges, including outdated data and the lack of interoperability between the NID system and other databases, which limit the effectiveness of the current identification processes.
The Lebanon Digital ID Use Cases report focuses on the practical applications and benefits of digital ID across different sectors. It argues for the need for a comprehensive digital transformation strategy that includes the introduction of electronic signatures and digital authentication services. These enhancements would improve service delivery, reduce identity fraud, and streamline processes across various sectors, including banking, healthcare, and social welfare, the report argues.
Biometric data plays a central role in the proposed digital ID system, providing a reliable method for identity verification and deduplication. The reports highlight the importance of ensuring that biometric data is collected and maintained securely to prevent fraud and enhance the trustworthiness of the ID system.
The reports also address the need for legal and regulatory reforms to support the digital ID infrastructure. Such reforms would facilitate the transition from paper-based to digital systems, ensuring data privacy and security. The World Bank urges authorities to foster stakeholder engagement in this process to ensure that the digital ID system meets the needs of all users and mitigates potential risks.
The World Bank’s implementation strategy includes both “quick wins” and long-term investments. Quick wins involve developing smartphone applications to read 2D barcodes on NID cards and verifying the authenticity of ID attributes using biometric data. They also include creating services for the validation and selective sharing of identity attributes, publishing policies on unique identifiers, and onboarding initial digital services .
In the medium term, the World Bank suggests conducting extensive civil society consultations to inform a broader digital ID strategy, establishing interoperability between NID and passport databases, and identifying authoritative data sources across government ministries. Developing a data governance framework and implementing robust cybersecurity measures are also crucial steps to ensure the security and privacy of personal data .
Long-term strategies involve achieving legal equivalence of digital identity and electronic signatures, developing a comprehensive data sharing architecture, and enabling citizens to manage their own data. The World Bank argues for the creation of a national population registry to complement existing systems and support public service provision, statistical analysis, and policy planning.
The World Bank’s ID4D initiative plays a central role in these efforts, providing thought leadership, research, and technical assistance.
Source: World Bank
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June 4, 2024 – Cass Kennedy
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