(Ecofin Agency) - Last Wednesday, Côte d’Ivoire announced the realization of Ecowas biometric cards with national identification numbers for XOF460 billion ($796.6 million) by the end of H1, 2019.

"Every measure has been taken and if all goes well, by the end of the first semester of 2019, the first cards will be delivered to Ivorians", explained Diakalidia Konaté, general director of the National Identification Office (ONI).

He indicated that the steering committee of this project was doing its best to set the system that would generate the Ecowas biometric cards with national identification numbers.

According to Diakalidia Konaté, these cards will be "without prejudice to young citizens who are freshly out of age, when the time comes to take them into account in the system."

He further indicated that by adopting the Ecowas card, Côte d’Ivoire intended to show its will to lend momentum to the regional organisation’s integration policy.

Let’s note that this project falls within the framework of the enhancement of administrative and security governance in Côte d’Ivoire  “to substantially improve the population’s living conditions”.

Flore Kacou