Abu Dhabi: A total of 6.2 million residents have been registered by Emirates ID across the country and the scheme is expected to be completed this year according to Dr Ali Al Khouri, director general of the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA).
Speaking at the fifth edition of the ID World conference yesterday, Al Khouri said an average of 20,000 people are registered per day.
The Electronic Emirates ID card reading technology has also allowed different government entities to save two million working hours per year in data entry time, he added.
The conference, which was attended by representatives of ID institutions from a number of countries, highlighted the importance of adopting a modern ID system in the participating nations.
Delegates discussed various identity schemes and related security issues. The conference was held under the patronage of Lt Gen Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Interior.
National ID schemes, such as the Emirates ID cards in the UAE and the Adhaar Unique Identity Numbers in India, as well as global identification systems, are therefore becoming more important in preventing crime, according to Ronald Noble, secretary general of Interpol.
"In a world with increasingly diverse work forces and greater migration, countries need to ensure that only trusted workers cross their borders. In addition, identification technologies also have a role in preventing terrorism threats," he said.
