e-IDs not ready for cross-border travel

Namibia's new electronic identity (e-ID) cards will not automatically make travel to neighbouring countries easier, as bilateral agreements between governments are required before they can be used as cross-border identification documents.

This was clarified by home affairs and immigration ministry executive director for civil registration Jackson Wandjiva during the launch of the e-ID awareness campaign in Gobabis this week.

"It depends now on how these two governments, say Namibia and Botswana, or Namibia and Angola, or any other country, agree that such a country can use an e-ID," he explained.

The clarification comes as the ministry embarks on a public awareness campaign across the Omaheke region ahead of the planned September roll-out of the e-IDs.

Dispelling myths

Much of the community engagements during the week focused on misconceptions surrounding the e-ID, including claims circulating on social media that the card would store sensitive personal information or was linked to the biblical "mark of the beast".

Wandjiva rejected those claims, saying the chip embedded in the card only contains information already used to identify the holder.

"In addition to your biometrics, the only other information that is there is what is printed on the card," he said.

"Your medical record is not there. Your criminal record is not there. Those things are not there. It's just information to identify who you are."

He also dismissed claims that the card will contain information about a person's tribe or workplace.

"The information that is on the e-ID is the information that is already there,” he said.

Applicants for the new card will, however, have their fingerprints captured as part of the registration process, with the biometric information encrypted to strengthen identity verification.

Wandjiva stressed that citizens will also be able to decide how they use the card.

"It is your choice how you use that card. Whether you just want to use it for identification or you want to use it to access services online," he said.

Digital

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Omaheke governor Pijoo Nganate on Monday, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) head of exploration Geraldine Itana said the e-ID forms part of broader efforts to modernise public services while protecting citizens' personal information.

She said the system follows a principle of "data minimisation", meaning only the minimum information required for identification will be collected.

Itana added that legal frameworks are being developed alongside the roll-out, including work on access to information legislation, to ensure personal information is accessed ethically and through the appropriate legal channels.

She said the digital identity system is also expected to strengthen regional planning and help reduce fraud in social protection programmes by improving how the government verifies beneficiaries.

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