Somalia and Pakistan are moving to expand cooperation on national identification and digital government systems, as Mogadishu works to establish the infrastructure needed to connect citizens with public services.
Somalia’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) said the two countries are exploring closer collaboration on national ID systems, civil registration and digital infrastructure.
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The initiative follows a Somali delegation’s visit to Islamabad, where officials exchanged expertise on identification systems, civil registration and the development of digital services.
The delegation was led by NIRA Director General Abdiwali Ali Abdulle (Timacadde) and met officials from Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), headed by its Chairman, Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir Afsar, .
Facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the visit builds on cooperation between NIRA and NADRA that began in 2018.
Discussions covered the integration of national identification systems with government and financial services, secure data-sharing mechanisms, interoperability standards, data protection and efforts to expand technical capacity, NIRA said.
UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Samuel Rizk and Deputy Resident Representative Van Nguyen also took part in the meetings.
The delegations examined practical measures to reinforce identification and registration systems in both countries, placing particular emphasis on Somalia’s continuing work to develop a national identification system.
The Somali delegation also met Pakistani institutions responsible for digital infrastructure, including the Ministry of IT and Telecommunications and other technology-related agencies.
UNDP described the visit as part of broader South-South cooperation, through which developing countries exchange experience and technical expertise to improve the delivery of essential services.
NIRA said the lessons gathered in Pakistan will inform Somalia’s effort to create an integrated identification system that links citizens to government services and serves as a foundation for the country’s digital infrastructure.
