News
Giesecke & Devrient Wins Another Major Contract from Iraq
October 2013 by Marc Jacob
The Republic of Iraq has commissioned Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) to provide an end-to-end solution for an electronic personal ID card. As a general contractor, G&D will provide smart cards, the entire personalization system, the IT and data acquisition infrastructure, and the associated services. This includes technical support and maintenance. The contract was awarded following an international invitation to tender by the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior. The contract has a minimum term of five years.
“After the award of contract for new passports announced recently, this is the second contract where we will work in partnership with the Iraqi government to provide security-related systems for modernizing public administration. These contracts not only confirm our technological leadership in providing security solutions to international governments, but also our expertise as a provider of complete turnkey solutions,” explains Hans Wolfgang Kunz, Head of the Government Solutions division at G&D.
The electronic ID card system will provide Iraq with an ultra-modern ID system, which offers the highest degree of security in order to prevent manipulation and identity theft. This will also streamline the administration processes across the country. The new ID document is already prepared for use by eGovernment applications.
The contactless personal ID smart card meets the highest security requirements, including the option to integrate a variety of biometric features. As well as the personal data, the new ID card has a photo of the holder and can be used as standard photo ID. In addition, the personal data and multiple biometric features of the holder are stored securely and digitally in the chip. The new ID card is also equipped with a range of visible and invisible features which effectively protect against counterfeiting.
In Iraq, which has a population of over 30 million people, G&D will set up around 2,500 data acquisition stations and 25 regional personalization centers across the country as well as a redundantly designed IT data center in the framework of this major project. The launch of the new electronic personal ID card will also be used as the basis for the planned digitalization of the national population register. On top of the planning, system integration, and implementation, G&D will also handle the transfer of expertise and the handover to the Iraqi public authorities.
Card supply will begin in 2014.
