MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Monday inaugurated the second annual conference of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), an event aimed at strengthening the country’s national ID infrastructure, officials said.
The two-day gathering in Mogadishu brings together senior federal officials, representatives of federal member states, international partners and other stakeholders.
This year’s conference highlights what the government describes as major progress in providing free, efficient and round-the-clock public services through the national identification system.
NIRA Director General Abdiwali Timacadde said in his keynote address that the authority has registered more than one million Somalis since its creation.
He said NIRA plans to enroll an additional 15 million citizens over the next three years as part of a nationwide expansion drive.
The meeting will feature panel discussions and research presentations focused on improving the technical and administrative foundations needed to fully operationalise Somalia’s national ID system.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Strengthening the Fundamental Infrastructure for National ID Utilization.”
