Yesterday, February 3rd, 2022, the launching ceremony of the Unique Identity System (IDU – Portuguese acronym) website and the results of the study on the progress of e-Government took place.
The event, held in Hotel Novo Turismo, Dili, was organized by the Ad Hoc Technical Committee responsible for the elaboration of the integrated strategy for implementation. The committee is chaired by the Executive Director of TIC Timor, Roberto Caetano de Sousa Vicente and is composed of representatives of the relevant ministerial lines.
The creation of a single identity system is part of the public administration reform programme and aims to improve citizens’ access to a wide range of administrative and private sector services, as well as laying the foundations for e-government.
The integrated strategy for the implementation of the IDU was approved by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on June 23rd, 2021.
The IDU will establish a digital identity, based on a minimum set of data, including a unique random number, biographical data and biometric information.
The system will allow nationals and residents to have more reliable access to a wide range of public and private services. It will also help the private sector and the Government to reduce identity fraud and cut transaction costs in identity verification.
By 2025, the plan is to register one million people and link digital identities to the banking and telecommunications sectors, the civil registry, voter, health and education registries, business registration and several other important functional databases.
This strategy and operational plan were developed internally by the Government, through a consultative process, by the Technical Committee led by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Justice and TIC Timor. The Ministries of Health, Education, Finance, Interior, State Administration, Solidarity and Social Inclusion and the Public Service Commission were directly involved. In the process, options were presented, discussed and mutually agreed upon in the Council of Ministers.
The results of the pilot study on the progress of eGovernment implementation were also presented at the ceremony. The preliminary study covers ten government institutions that comprise the Ad Hoc Technical Committee and in the future, the survey will be extended to all state-funded government institutions. The information gathered by this study will serve as a basis for the preparation of a strategic plan and roadmap for implementation.
The event was attended by several members of the Government, focal points of the Ad Hoc Technical Committee, representatives of State institutions and development partners.