Digital ID expands reach, with more than 20% of population registered for UAE Pass

The UAE is making strides in building a single digital identity platform for residents and citizens to securely obtain access to government and private sector services online.

More than two million people have been registered for the UAE Pass, representing more than a fifth of the population.

The digital ID scheme was launched in October 2018.

The UAE Central Bank approved its use for remote banking across the country and Western Union and Al Fardan Exchange were among the first to integrate UAE Pass for sending and receiving money online.

In recent years, people have used UAE Pass to access healthcare apps when booking Covid-19 vaccine appointments, among other services.

It also enables users to download a digital copy of their Emirates ID.

"UAE Pass has been and continues to be a participatory project that reflects co-operation," said Mohammed Al Zarooni, deputy director general of the information and digital government sector at the Telecommunication and Digital Regulatory Authority.

He said more than 180 federal, local and private entities now use UAE Pass, and it is integrated across more than 400 digital channels.

At the end of last year, Dubai government announced it had met its goal of going paperless, with all government services for employees, citizens and residents available online.

The emirate's goal is to digitalise every aspect of civic life for residents, including property management, banking and vehicle ownership.

The UAE Pass is a collaboration between Digital Dubai, Telecommunications and Digital Government, TDRA and the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority.

Set international standards

The evolving demands of a digital economy ― where public and private sector services can be accessed from a smartphone ― increasingly require that individuals be able to prove their identity in order to participate.

Proponents say that such digital ID systems can improve inclusivity to things like financial and government services and so 'digital identity' programmes have become a growing focus area of countries around the world, with numerous countries introducing national ID initiatives.

Singapore is among the world's leaders on this front, with more than half of its population using a digital identity. Its SingPass can be used to access more than 250 digital services from 60 government agencies, including filing taxes and applying for public housing online.

Elsewhere, countries are grappling with the security and privacy implications of centralising population data on a single platform.

Last year, the Kenyan High Court ruled that the introduction of a country-wide biometric ID scheme was illegal. Efforts to create digital ID schemes have similarly been delayed in the EU and US.

To begin to address these issues, a digital identity working group was established in 2020 that includes Australia, Canada, Finland, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore, the Netherlands and the UK. The group is working to set international standards governing the digital identity space, like the infrastructure and security requirements, and if digital IDs should work across borders.

If security issues are addressed, then digital identity schemes are a critical component of modern economies, the World Economic Forum has said.