Somalia keen to invest in civil registration as vital security measure

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The government of Somalia is keen to invest in civil registration as a strategic measure to improve security by keeping records of people for future reference, Interior Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi has said, while unveiling the Second Annual Meeting of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Steering Committee.

During the launch, Fiqi was joined by several federal and state leaders, including representatives from the Justice, Health, and Education ministries as well as the United Nations. The UN has immensely invested in updating Somalia's civil registry.

“This committee which is made up of Federal and State Level representatives is at the center of the government’s service delivery and decentralisation efforts,” Minister Fiqi said.

“The objective of the Second Annual Meeting of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Steering Committee is to discuss the achievements of the past year as well as the work plans for the next,” he added.

George Conway, the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, insisted on the importance of the National ID and Civil Registration in the planning and service delivery of national efforts. The documents, he added, are essential for guaranteeing security to citizens.

Experts from the Ministry of Interior Federal Affairs and Reconciliation take participants through presentations on the National CRVS Strategic Plan 2024-2029 and the Digital CRVS System, state media reports.

Mohamed Hassan Mohamed Bulaale, the Deputy Minister for Health, also endorsed an effective civil registration system, noting that it will be prudent in helping the country to plan, given that it would give a platform for the registration of births and deaths.

“We acknowledge the great effort made since 2012 when the country some milestones in CRVS systems strengthening amidst a fragile administrative ecosystem,” Oliver Chinganya, Director of the African Centre for Statistics said.

GAROWE ONLINE