ID4D Country Diagnostic: Central African Republic Contents About ID4D..............................................................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgments................................................................................................................................................... iv Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................................... v Glossary...................................................................................................................................................................vii Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................1 Motivation................................................................................................................................................................................................................1 World Bank Mission.............................................................................................................................................................................................1 High-Level Findings/Observations Générales..........................................................................................................................................2 Version Française........................................................................................................................................................................................2 English Version.............................................................................................................................................................................................4 Organization of the Report..............................................................................................................................................................................5 Identity Ecosystem................................................................................................................................................... 7 The Identity Stakeholders in the Country..................................................................................................................................................7 Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and National Administration (MISPAN)...........................................................................7 Ministry of Health........................................................................................................................................................................................7 Ministry of Justice.......................................................................................................................................................................................8 National Electoral Authority...................................................................................................................................................................8 The Demand Side: Identity Service Clients.......................................................................................................................................9 The Identification Schemes............................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Civil Register................................................................................................................................................................................................ 11 National Identity Card............................................................................................................................................................................. 14 Nationality Certificate............................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Voter’s Card................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Passport........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17 Legal Framework .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 Post-Crisis Identification Context .............................................................................................................................................................. 19 General Considerations on the National Context ........................................................................................................................ 19 Assessment................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 Challenges..................................................................................................................................................................................................20 Social Protection Policy and Future Management of Social Protection Programs......................................................... 21 Analysis and Recommendations .........................................................................................................................24 Version Française.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 24 Planification de la politique publique et cadre légal.................................................................................................................. 25 Registre civil ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 Système national d’identification civile........................................................................................................................................... 26 Système d’identification pour les acteurs liés aux programmes de protection sociale............................................... 27 C onte nts i English Version.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Policy Planning and Legal Framework............................................................................................................................................ 29 Civil Registration......................................................................................................................................................................................30 National Foundation Identification System...................................................................................................................................30 Social Protection ID Program............................................................................................................................................................... 31 Annexes....................................................................................................................................................................32 Annex 1. Background Information for CAR Diagnostic...................................................................................................................... 33 Annex 2. Diagnostic CAR Table of Summary Findings...................................................................................................................... 34 Annex 3. History of the Civil Registry in Equatorial Africa and Central African Republic................................................... 36 Annex 4. Demand for Identity Services................................................................................................................................................... 37 Institutional Public Sector Clients for Identity Services............................................................................................................ 37 Institutional Semi-Government Sector Clients for Identity Services.................................................................................... 41 Private Sector Clients for Identity Services................................................................................................................................... 43 Annex 5. Bibliography.....................................................................................................................................................................................44 Tables Table 1. Number of Clients or Beneficiaries of Identity Services.....................................................................................................10 Table 2. Central African Republic’s RCPCA Prioritization Framework......................................................................................... 22 Figures Figure 1. Birth Registration Rate 1950–2015............................................................................................................................................. 11 Figure 2. Birth Registration Rate for under 5 Year-olds (%), Poorest versus Richest 20 percent, 2006–2010............. 12 Figure 3. Birth Registration Rate for under 5 Year-olds (%), Rural versus Urban, 2000–2010........................................... 13 Figure 4. Present Day Sample of Birth Certificate................................................................................................................................ 14 Figure 5. National Identity Card as Introduced in 1960...................................................................................................................... 15 Figure 6. Polycarbonate National Identity Card as Introduced in 2006...................................................................................... 15 Figure 7. Receipt Replacing National Identity Cards as Introduced in 2014............................................................................... 16 Figure 8. Photo Identification Card for Electors, Elections 2015–2016......................................................................................... 17 Figure 9. Functional Civil Registration Office Counts in 1974 and 2013, Pre- and Post-crisis.............................................20 ii ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC About ID4D The World Bank Group’s Identification for Development (ID4D) Initiative uses global knowledge and expertise across sectors to help countries realize the transformational potential of digital identification systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It operates across the World Bank Group with global practices and units working on digital development, social protection, health, financial inclusion, governance, gender, and legal, among others. The mission of ID4D is to enable all people to access services and exercise their rights by increasing the number of people who have an official form of identification. ID4D makes this happen through its three pillars of work: thought leadership and analytics to generate evidence and fill knowledge gaps; global platforms and convening to amplify good practices, collaborate, and raise awareness; and country and regional engagement to provide financial and technical assistance for the implementation of robust, inclusive, and responsible digital identification systems that are integrated with civil registration. The work of ID4D is made possible with support from the World Bank Group, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Omidyar Network, and the Australian Government. To find out more about ID4D, visit id4d.worldbank.org. A bou t I D 4 D iii Acknowledgments This ID4D Diagnostic was prepared by the Identification for Development (ID4D) initiative, the World Bank Group’s cross-sectoral effort to support progress toward identification systems using 21st century solutions. This was done at the request of the Ministry of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation of Central African Republic, kindly accommodated by the primary responsible ministry, the Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and National Administration, which sought a third party assessment to inform future decision-making as to the formulation and implementation of social protection policy, including the modalities for beneficiary identification. The main authors of this Diagnostic report were Jaap van der Straaten and Emmanuel Vassor who worked under the guidance of Jonathan Daniel Marskell (ID4D). This Diagnostic benefited greatly from the collaboration and inputs of Michel A. Bangui, Directeur des Études to the Ministry of Interior and from detailed review and inputs from the World Bank colleagues including Paul Bance, Laura Bermeo, Vyjayanti T. Desai, Luda Bujoreanu, Jonathan Daniel Marskell, Giuseppe Zampaglione, Gbetoho Joachim Boko, Danhossou Athanase, and Beatrice Toubarot Mossane. The authors would like to give special thanks to all those involved in the course of preparing the ID4D Diagnostic for CAR, especially the Inspecteur Central, Chargé de l’Administration du Territoire, du Ministère de l’Intérieur, de la Sécurité Publique et de l’Administration Nationale, Mr. Frédéric Ouagonda; and le Directeur de Cabinet du Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Réconciliation Nationale, Mr. Antoine George Mbaga for their excellent support in making themselves and their staff available to guide and inform this study. Management and staff across other MDAs as well as from key private sector stakeholders also provided inputs and support in equal measure. iv ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Abbreviations AFIS Automated Fingerprint Identification System AML Anti Money Laundering ANE National Electoral Authority—Autorité Nationale des Elections APAI-CRVS African Programme for Accelerated Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics ARCEP Electronic Communications and Post Regulation Authority (after 19 May 2017)— Autorité de Régulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes ART Agency for Regulation of Communications (before 19 May 2017)—Agence de Régulation des Télécommunications ASSD Africa Symposium for Statistics Development ATM Automatic Teller Machine AU African Union CAR Central African Republic CEMAC Economic Community of Central African States—Communauté Économique et Monetaire de l’Afrique Centrale CRC Convention (or Committee) on the Rights of the Child CRVS Civil Registration and Vital Statistics ENERCA Centrafrican Energy (company)—Energie Centrafricaine e-ID ID card with electronic microchip FACA Central African Armed Forces—Forces Armées Centrafricaines FCR Financial Crime Risk FIC Financial Intelligence Centre FT Terrorist Financing GDP Gross Domestic Product ICASEES Centrafrican Statistics and Economic and Social Studies Institute—Institut Centrafricain des Statistiques et des Etudes Economiques et Sociales ICT Information and Communication Technology ID Identity Document IDP Internally Displace Person IIVRS International Institute for Vital Registration and Statistics A bbr e v iat i ons v IMPACT International Multilateral Partnership against Cyber Threats (ITU) IMF International Monetary Fund ITU International Telecommunications Union (UN) KYC Know Your Customer MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MASRN Ministry of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation—Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Réconciliation Nationale MINUSCA Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic MISPAN Ministry of the Interior, Public Security and Local Government—Le Ministère de l’Interieur, de la Sécurité Publique et de l’Administration Territoriale ML Money Laundering MNO Mobile Network Operator MOH Ministry of Health NBFIs Non-Bank Financial Institutions OCAM African and Malagasy Union—Organisation Commune Africaine, Malgache et Mauricienne PIN Personal Identification Number POS Point-of-Service RCA Central African Republic—République Centrafricaine RCPCA National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan RMNCAH Reproductive, Mother, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health SODECA Centrafrican Water Distribution Company—Société de Distribution d’Eau de Centrafrique UIDAI Unique Identification Authority of India UN United Nations UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNDP UN Development Programme UNICEF UN Children’s Emergency Fund UNSD United Nations Statistics Division WFP World Food Program WHO World Health Organization vi ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Glossary Autonomous (a) Having the right or power of self-government; (b) Existing or capable of existing independently (Merriam-Webster). For a registry, an entity legally entitled to administrative and budgetary self-rule within the executive branch of the government, but outside of the line ministries. Certificate An original document or certified extract, usually issued by a government authority, stating when and where a civil event occurred (birth, adoption, marriage, divorce, death). Civil Identification The verification, registration, management, and conservation of personal data of citizens, with the goal of establishing a unique civil identity. Civil identification includes all of the data from the civil registration on that particular citizen, as well as other attributes, such as a unique number and/or biometric data. The civil identification serves as a basis for the verification of identity (i.e., passport or national identification documents). Civil Register The repository of a loose-leaf file, ledger book, electronic file, or any other official file setup for the universal, continuous, and permanent recording, in accordance with established procedures, of each type of vital event and its associated data of the population of a defined area (e.g., county, district, municipality, or parish). Data De-duplication A specialized data compression technique for eliminating duplicate copies of repeating data. Related and somewhat synonymous terms are intelligent (data) compression and single-instance (data) storage. Digital Identity A set of features that individualize a person in a computer-based environment. Electronic A token (smart card) that proves an individual’s identity and is used to identify, Identification (e-ID) authenticate, and act as an electronic signature. Generally, a smart card contains a contact or contactless chip. Electronic Identity A set of data or attributes that enables persons to prove electronically who they are to access services or reserved information. Identification The determination of identity and recognition of who a person is; the action or process of determining what a thing is; or the recognition of a thing as being what it is. Identification Information (electronic, token, or paper) that seeks to uniquely identify or provide Credential qualifications or attributes that define the individual identity. Identity A unique set of features and characteristics that individualize a person, including the name and other biographical data of the individual. Identity A combination of systems, rules, and procedures that are defined between an Management individual and organizations regarding the entitlement, use, and protection of personal information in order to authenticate individual identities and provide authorization and privileges within or across systems and enterprise boundaries. Identity The technical and organizational infrastructure used to define, design, and Management System administer the attributes of an identity. G los sary vii Identity Token A portable piece of hardware that a user carries and uses to access a network. The token enables the user to prove his or her identity and authentication for the use of a service. Interconnection In computing, communication between two or more points to create a bond between them, even temporarily, to make a punctual or fixed transmission, with the permanent connection of two machines. Interoperability The ability of information systems and procedures to share or authenticate data and enable the exchange of information and knowledge among them. This exchange is necessary to ensure cooperation, development, integration, and delivery of joint services by public institutions. It is also necessary to implement various public policies, principles, and rights; transfer technology; and use applications that enable new services and result in better efficiency and cooperation among different applications. All of this facilitates the development of an e-government and information society. Know Your The process of a business verifying the identity of its clients. The term is also used Customer (KYC) to refer to the bank regulation that governs these activities. Population Register A government data collection system in which the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of all or part of the population are continuously recorded. Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Israel are among the countries that maintain universal registers for demographic purposes, recording vital events (birth, marriage, moves, and deaths) so that up-to-date information on the whole population is readily available. viii ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Introduction Motivation This analysis of the civil registration and identity management system in the Central African Republic (CAR) is conducted upon request of the Ministry of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation (Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Réconciliation Nationale—MASRN), and kindly accommodated by the primary responsible ministry, the Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and National Administration (Ministère de l’Intérieur, de la Sécurité Publique et de l’Administration Nationale—MISPAN). The government is in the process of developing a social protection policy. The country belongs to the poorest tier of countries in the world and is recovering from a loss in national income of more than one- third in 2013 due to major violence that year. The population needs help to find gainful employment and basic social security. This is the rationale behind the development of a social protection policy. To this end, the MASRN is seeking a third-party assessment to inform future decision making as to the formulation and implementation of social protection policy, including the modalities for beneficiary identification. Indeed, beneficiary identities are not only needed in a utilitarian way but also as a crucial program outcome for national reconciliation. Regarding social protection beneficiary identification, the most profound effect of the 2013 crisis has been the destruction of an estimated 60 to 80 percent of identity or identity-related records held across the country outside Bangui by the ministries of interior, justice, and health. A loss of this magnitude has not been suffered in any country ever as far as the World Bank Group is aware. The request from MASRN can be seen against the background of CAR’s National Plan for Recovery and Peace-building (RCPCA), presented and discussed at the Brussels International Conference for CAR, held 17 November 2016. The three-pillar plan aims to foster key reforms: peace, security, and reconciliation; renewal of the social contract between the state and the population; and economic and productive sector recovery. The plan was based on a joint assessment, with a request for support from the European Union (EU), the World Bank (WB), and the United Nations (UN). World Bank Mission In addition to providing the requested technical support for the assessment of the civil registration and identification system, MASRN and MISPAN also requested an ID4D Diagnostic validation workshop as part of the assignment. This validation workshop was held in July 2017 and brought together 40 representatives from across government, private, and development sectors (Annex 2). Preliminary findings and recommendations were presented and discussed at the end of the workshop. The methodology used for this analysis combines the collection of web-based information (desk research) and over 20 meetings with stakeholders relevant to the civil registration and identity management environment in CAR, structured by the Diagnostic tool and leading to the generation of suggestions and recommendations that are presented in this draft report. This Diagnostic has been conducted with the sole purpose of serving the ongoing development of social protection policy in the country. It is the Bank’s hope that the report will be useful for social protection policy development as intended. The Bank has not agreed with the government to invest in the civil registration and identification sector. The government may consider the use of this report for the activities it will undertake to seek support from the international donor community for such an investment. Intro d u ct i on 1 High-Level Findings/Observations Générales Version Française Registre civil avant 2013 1. Les chiffres laissent penser que la population avait développé comme habitude de faire enregistrer les naissances. Le taux d’enregistrement des naissances dépassait 70% à Bangui entre 1950 et 2013 et atteignait 70% en 2000 dans les zones rurales. 2. Il y avait 264 bureaux du registre civil opérationnels à travers le pays et également des enregistrements itinérants, i.e., les audiences foraines. 3. L’enregistrement au-delà du délai prévu entrainait un coût financier que la majeure partie des foyers en dehors de Bangui ne pouvaient pas se permettre de payer. Identification civile avant 2013 4. Avant 2013, on estime que moins de 20% de la population détenait une carte nationale d’identité. 5. La base de données gérée par l’Autorité Nationale des Élections (ANE) est la plus vaste base de données digitale dans le pays, avec près de 2 millions d’entrées. La base de données est actualisée chaque année. 6. La République Centrafricaine (RCA) a une longue tradition électorale et chaque cycle électoral coûte, selon les estimations, plus de 50 millions de dollars. Contexte post 2013 7. En 2013, lorsque les archives conservées dans les 264 bureaux du registre civil du pays ont été en grande partie détruites, le gouvernement a en quelque sorte perdu la preuve de qui sont les citoyens. 8. Le site centralisé de production de la carte nationale d’identité a été détruit durant les violences. 9. La cible 16.9 des Objectifs de Développement Durables stipule que les pays devraient, « d’ici à 2030, à garantir à tous une identité juridique, notamment grâce à l’enregistrement des naissances ». Cette cible sera particulièrement compliquée à atteindre pour la RCA puisque les avancées obtenues avant 2013 ont été en grande partie perdues. Le pays devra redoubler d’efforts par rapport aux autres pays. 10. À l’heure actuelle, reconstituer le registre civil de RCA est un projet pharaonique. 11. La base de données de l’ANE demeure la plus vaste du pays. 12. La RCA se trouve à un carrefour stratégique quant aux systèmes nationaux de registre civil et d’identification civile. Une décision critique doit être prise quant à la stratégie à adopter pour remettre le système en état opérationnel. Cadre juridique 13. Les lois relatives au registre civil et à l’identification datent des années 1960. 2 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC 14. Les lois ne sont pas adaptées au contexte actuel de perte massive de données. Tout particulièrement, le Ministère de la Justice serait dans l’incapacité de reconstituer l’ensemble des documents perdus, tel que stipulé dans la loi. 15. La loi ne prévoit pas de conditions pour garantir l’inclusion de l’ensemble de la population dans les bases de données du registre civil puisque que l’enregistrement entraine un coût important pour les populations les plus vulnérables (notamment pour les enregistrements au-delà du délai fixé) et la loi sur la nationalité fait partie des plus strictes du continent, même pour les individus dont les deux parents ont la nationalité centrafricaine. 16. Il n’existe pas de loi sur la protection des données, ni de loi sur la cyber sécurité. Par ailleurs, il n’y a pas de prérogative relative à la digitalisation. Recommandations 17. La RCA devrait prendre le temps d’analyser en profondeur la situation actuelle afin de mieux établir des fondations saines pour le futur et ainsi remplacer les systèmes actuels par des solutions digitales efficientes et intégrées apportant efficacité, fiabilité, interopérabilité, protection de la vie privée, sécurité et contrôle sur les données. 18. La RCA devrait adopter une stratégie en quatre phases afin d’apporter des solutions aux systèmes de registre civil et d’identification civile, tant à court terme qu’à long terme : • Planification de la politique publique et cadre juridique ; • Registre civil ; • Système national d’identification civile ; • Programme d’identification afin d’appuyer les acteurs liés à l’aide humanitaire d’urgence à très court terme. 19. La planification de la politique publique et la modernisation du cadre juridique devraient constituer la première étape pour la création d’un système national d’identification civile et pour la reconstruction d’un mécanisme de registre civil. Cela requiert du temps afin d’examiner la situation en détail et de consolider la collaboration de l’ensemble des acteurs pertinents, ainsi que du soutien externe afin de développer les solutions les plus adaptées pour la RCA. La modernisation du cadre légal devrait être envisagée afin de mieux répondre à la situation de la RCA et afin d’intégrer les législations relatives au registre civil et à l’identification civile dans un seul et même texte, faciliter et promouvoir des partenariats entre les différentes agences gouvernementales, et permettre la digitalisation des services, ce qui implique l’adoption de lois relatives à la cyber sécurité et à la protection des données et de la vie privée. 20. La reconstruction du registre civil ne devrait pas être la priorité du pays, considérant notamment l’actuel environnement politico-sécuritaire ainsi que la tâche colossale que représente la reconstitution des documents. 21. Le développement d’un système national pour l’identification civile devrait être envisagé à moyen terme. Il devrait intégrer les bonnes pratiques liées à l’identification et intégrer comme objectifs centraux l’inclusion des populations et la protection des données. 22. À court terme, un système digital d’identification basique devrait être implémenté pour les programmes de protection sociale et d’aide humanitaire. Le système devrait permettre une distribution efficace et fiable des services visant les populations vulnérables ciblées par ces acteurs. Intro d u ct i on 3 English Version On civil registration before 2013 1. There is good evidence that the general public had developed a habitude to register birth. Birth registration was over 70 percent in Bangui from 1950 to 2013 and reached 70 percent in 2000 for rural areas. 2. There were 264 civil registration offices throughout the country and also itinerant registration for most remote rural areas. 3. Late registration entailed fees that most households outside of Bangui could not afford to pay. On civil identification before 2013 4. Prior to 2013, less than 20 percent of the population held a national identity card (estimate). 5. The voter database held by the National Electoral Agency (ANE) is the largest digital identity database in the country, with close to 2 million records. The database is updated every year. 6. CAR has a long electoral tradition, and one election cycle costs over USD 50 million (estimate). Post-2013 context 7. In 2013, when archives kept in all the country’s 264 civil registration offices were largely destroyed, the government basically lost the evidence of who its people were. 8. The national centralized national identity card production facility was destroyed during the violence. 9. Target 16.9 for the Sustainable Development Agenda states that countries should “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration.” This target will be especially hard for CAR to achieve because the progress achieved prior to 2013, to a large extent, has been lost. The country will have to work harder than other countries. 10. Today, reconstructing CAR’s civil registration is a daunting task. 11. The voter database held by the National Electoral Agency (ANE) is the largest digital identity database in the country, with close to 2 million records. The database is updated every year. 12. CAR is at a strategic crossroads regarding its civil registration and identification systems. A major decision is necessary on the strategy to adopt to turn the systems back into operation. On the legal framework 13. Laws on civil registration and identification date from the 1960s. 14. Laws are not adapted to the current context of mass record loss. In particular, the Ministry of Justice would be unable to replace all lost records as stipulated in the law. 15. The law does not provide for general inclusion regarding civil registration and identification, as birth registration can entail a major cost for the most vulnerable populations (in particular in case of late registration), and the law on nationality is among the strictest on the continent, even for individuals whose parents are Centrafrican. 16. There is no law on data protection or on cybersecurity, nor any legal prerogative on digitization. 4 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Recommendations 17. CAR should take a step back and set up healthy foundations for the future by transforming the current systems into efficient and integrated digital solutions that bring efficiency, reliability, interoperability, privacy, security, and control over the data. 18. To address civil registration and identification issues, both in the short and the long term, CAR should adopt a four-phase approach: • Policy planning and legal framework; • Civil registration; • National foundation identification system; and • Social protection identification program to address short-term humanitarian emergency. 19. Policy planning and modernization of the legal framework should be the first step before further building a foundation national identification system and reconstructing a civil registration mechanism. It requires time to assess the situation in depth, collaboration between all relevant stakeholders, and external advisory to develop the most adapted solutions for CAR. It should consider the modernization of the legal framework to better address the CAR context, integrate civil registration and identification laws within a single text, ease and promote partnerships between government agencies, and enable digitization, which includes laws on data protection and privacy and cybersecurity. 20. Reconstruction of the civil register should not be the priority of the country, in particular considering the ongoing security environment and the enormous task that reconstituting the records represents. 21. The development of a foundation identification system should be envisaged in the middle term. It should integrate most good practices in the field of identification and integrate population inclusion and data protection as core pillars. 22. In the short term, a basic digital identification system should be implemented to enable efficient and reliable delivery of services to vulnerable populations by social protection and humanitarian actors. Organization of the Report The report is organized into the following sections: ƒƒ Section 2 examines the identity ecosystem in CAR and presents the stakeholders on the supply and demand sides, the identity schemes, the legal framework, and the specific post-crisis identity context; and ƒƒ Section 3 presents the analysis conducted by the World Bank Group and details the main recommendations to build on so social protection actors can promote an efficient and reliable identity ecosystem that can serve the entire Centrafrican population, starting from the most vulnerable. In addition to these primary sections, the report contains five annexes. ƒƒ Annex 1 presents the background information of the Centrafrican Country Diagnostic realized by the World Bank Group; ƒƒ Annex 2 presents the summary findings of the Centrafrican Country Diagnostic realized by the World Bank Group; Intro d u ct i on 5 ƒƒ Annex 3 briefly presents the history of the civil registration in Equatorial Africa and in the Central African Republic; ƒƒ Annex 4 presents in detail the major identity services stakeholders on the demand side; and ƒƒ Annex 5 presents the bibliography. 6 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Identity Ecosystem The Identity Stakeholders in the Country Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and National Administration (MISPAN) The Ministry of Interior, Public Safety and National Administration (MISPAN) is mainly responsible for national identity management, and oversees both the civil registration and the civil identification. MISPAN delivers the following: ƒƒ For civil registration: birth, death, and marriage certificates; ƒƒ For civil identification: national identity cards (Carte Nationale d’identité—CNI) and passports. Before 2013, the MISPAN had: ƒƒ 264 offices nationwide which included: • 176 primary offices; • 80 secondary offices; and • 8 arrondissement offices in Bangui; ƒƒ About 800 staff; and ƒƒ Itinerant civil registration services to access remote areas—audiences foraines. In addition to the delivery of registration certificates and national identity cards, the ministry is also in charge of border control management and the issuance of visas and passports. Those functions are managed by different departments within the ministry and only at the central level in Bangui. MISPAN, under the Family Code, depends on collaboration with the Ministry of Health in maternity hospital for death notifications and for the determination of the cause of deaths. Ministry of Health Through the health staff, the Ministry of Health is in charge of delivering: ƒƒ Birth attestations (Family Code—Article 137); and ƒƒ Death notifications and determination of cause of death (Family Code—Articles 146 and 148, respectively). The health sector has a better footprint than the civil registration service. About 55 percent of newborn deliveries take place in hospitals and/or are attended by a skilled attendant. Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 7 Ministry of Justice The Ministry of Justice plays a role in civil registration. CAR’s family code establishes that lower courts are given a role to supervise civil registration in their jurisdiction, which includes: ƒƒ The swearing in of registration officers (Art. 106); ƒƒ The signing of registration books at the start and end of the year (Art. 117 and Art. 118); ƒƒ The viewing of registers (Art. 123); ƒƒ The archiving of a copy of registers made up at diplomatic missions abroad (Art. 132); ƒƒ Approving the issuance of a copy in certain circumstances (Art. 138), in particular • When a death is suspicious (several articles); • When registration is beyond the legal timeframe (Arts. 179–182); • For the reconstitution of lost/destroyed records; and • For the rectification of records (Arts. 183–194); and ƒƒ Issuing nationality certificates. The Ministry of Justice plays a significant role in the post-crisis context as it is the ministry responsible for reconstructing the civil registration records by delivering copies of previous certificates or jugements supplétifs. National Electoral Authority CAR’s independent election management body is the National Electoral Authority (Autorité Nationale des Elections–ANE). ANE has operated under Law No. 13-003 of 13 November 2013 on the Electoral Code of the Central African Republic, as changed by Law No. 15-004 of 28 August 2015 and by Law No. 15-005 of 8 December 2015. ANE is responsible for the issuance of the voter ID, which voters need to bring out their vote. In order to give access to all, or nearly all, persons of voting age, the ANE conducts voter registration campaigns. Because of this, voter IDs play an identification role for citizens who do not have any other official identity document. Article 34 of the Electoral Code stipulates that an elector qualifies to be included in the electoral roll on showing one of the following: ƒƒ A national ID; ƒƒ A birth certificate or court judgment for late registration (jugement supplétif); ƒƒ A passport; ƒƒ A military booklet; ƒƒ A civil service or military pension booklet; or ƒƒ A refugee card or any other document issued to replace an ID. In the absence of the above documents, a written witness statement will suffice. The witness statement must be signed by a government official from the elector’s domicile (official representative for the council of the village, the district, or the city) and contra signed by an election official (the Registration Committee President) or the person responsible for internally displaced people (IDP) or refugee communities. The requirements to be included in the electoral roll thus are liberal, allowing a maximum turnout, as the local conditions would allow. 8 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Article 36 stipulates that the electoral roll will be in digital format. ANE is now the custodian of the voter roll in the form of a digital database holding a total of 1,994,433 electors out of a total of 2,536,127 voting age Central Africans, or 79 percent. This is the single largest identity database in the country. The database holds the following: ƒƒ Given name and surname; ƒƒ Date and place of birth; ƒƒ Filiation (father, mother); ƒƒ Profession; and ƒƒ Address. Article 37 of the Electoral Code requires ANE to update the electoral roll every year in April. Article 47 and amendments require voters to show their voter ID, or their receipt, as well as one of the documents (with the exception of birth certificate or court judgment, probably because those documents have no photograph of the holder) used at the time of registration for the electoral roll. The Demand Side: Identity Service Clients A number of government, semi-government, and private organizations rely on identification to deliver their services to a target public. Such organizations need to identify their beneficiaries or clients for various reasons, including to ensure delivery of their service to the proper beneficiary, to know who they employ, or to comply with Know-Your- Customer (KYC) legal regulations. Identifying the beneficiary is of crucial relevance for the payment of salaries or for the delivery of social protection services (such as cash transfers or delivery of goods). Without a reliable identification system, there is no means to ensure that only those entitled to receive a service or an aid receive it, which greatly impacts the efficiency of social protection and aid programs. Conversely, properly identifying beneficiaries helps not only to deliver the services to all entitled beneficiaries, but also to prevent fraud and corruption and to better monitor the impact of social protection programs. Identifying employees is also a crucial necessity for government agencies, in particular with regard to employees having sensitive roles, such as those in the military or the polices forces, the officials responsible for customs and border management control, and the registrars responsible for the registration of the population. KYC is a major challenge, in particular for financial institutions and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). In an attempt to address money laundering, financial crime risks, and terrorist financing since 9/11. Financial institutions (banks and non-bank financial institutions—NBFIs) are required to apply due diligence and verify the identity of their clients. Equally for security purposes, MNOs are required to verify the identity of SIM cardholders. Table 1 presents a summary of some of the main identity services for clients in CAR. A more detailed analysis of each organization is available in Annex 5. Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 9 Table 1. Number of Clients or Beneficiaries of Identity Services Sector Stakeholder Number of clients or beneficiaries Ministry of National Defense and Army Reconstruction 41,000 service members, retirees, and family members Ministry of Interior, Territory Administration, Total population, 4,494,620; 12,650 Decentralization and Local Development staff, retirees, and family members Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Attorney General Total population, 4,494,620 Ministry of Finance and Budget 25,000 taxpayers; 168,750 civil servants, retired civil servants, and family members Ministry of Health, Public Hygiene and Population Total population, 4,494,620 Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Total school and higher education Research population, 1,555,000 Government Ministry of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation Population under poverty line, agencies 3,200,000; for reconciliation total population, 4,595,620. PACAD project World Bank, 190,000; WFP projects, 694,500; total 900,000 Ministry of Public Administration, and of Administration, 168,750 civil servants, retired civil Labor, Employment, Transport and Social Protection servants, and family members Modernization Ministry of Post and Telecommunications in charge 1,185,000 mobile phone subscribers; of the Promotion of Information and Communication 210,000 Internet users Technologies Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport, Civil Aviation and Driving permit holders, “carte grise” Opening-Up holders, 25,000 National Statistics and Economic and Social Studies Total population, 4,594,620 Institute Bank of Central African States (Banques des Etats de 45,000 bank account holders in CAR l’Afrique Centrale) National Election Authority (l’Autorité Nationale des 2,000,000 registered voters Elections) Semi- National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de 120,000 insured workers and family government Sécurité Sociale) members agencies Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (Autorité des 1,185,000 mobile phone subscribers; Régulations des Télécommunications—ART) 210,000 Internet users Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water (Ministère des Mines, 565,000 power users ENERCA; de l’Energie et de l’Hydraulique)—ENERCA (power) and 1,380,000 water users SODECA SODECA (water) Mobile Network Operators 1,185,000 mobile phone subscribers Private banks 45,000 account holders Private sector Insurance companies 30,000 insurance policy holders including indirectly insured family members 10 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC The Identification Schemes Civil Register Institutional and legal framework The country’s civil registration records date back to 1906. Currently, the following three ministries are custodians of documentation regarding the civil status of the population: ƒƒ The Ministry of Interior is responsible for civil registration certificates related to birth, death, and marriage events. Records are stored in one of the 264 offices around the country, without any backup; ƒƒ The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the issuance of late registration court decisions (jugements supplétifs), nationality certificates, and adoption and divorce records. Records are stored in courts, without any backup; and ƒƒ The Ministry of Health is responsible for notification of birth and death, the declaration of cause of death, and of age assessment for jugement supplétif. Records are stored in hospitals and clinics, without any backup. In CAR, identity is established by the emission of a birth certificate, or a jugement supplétif. After the birth of a newborn child, there is a one-month period during which the registration of the birth remains an administrative task, i.e., a responsibility of the civil registrar only. Over the period of one month, court involvement is required, and the birth certificate is replaced by a jugement supplétif that establishes the legal identity. Coverage CAR has been remarkably competent in carrying out its civil registration since its independence in 1960. Birth registration in Bangui was at an elevated level of 70 to 90 percent for as long as four decades, and rural registration reached 70 percent in 2000. The population appeared to have developed their practice of registering births as a matter of course, a custom, or habitude. It is possible that the importance of citizenship has played a special role in this. Figure 1. Birth Registration Rate 1950–2015 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 50 53 60 3 84 88 5 00 06 10 13 14 15 /7 /9 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 72 94 19 19 Total Rest Bangui Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 11 Figure 2. Birth Registration Rate for under 5 Year-olds (%), Poorest versus Richest 20 percent, 2006–2010 100% 90% 82.7 84.7 80% 71.2 70% 64.1 60% 59.0 55.0 50.8 49.2 50% 46.3 43.0 40% 35.8 37.0 33.0 30% 28.0 22.6 20% 10% 0% Poorest 20% Poor 20% Middle 20% Rich 20% Richest 20% 2006, RCA 2010, RCA 2013, least developed countries Sources: Ministère du Plan, de l’Economie et de la Coopération Internationale, 2009; République Centrafricaine, 2012. CAR’s registration performance appeared to be remarkably good compared to other African countries. When looking at the latest available birth registration rates for all 54 African countries, CAR had a higher coverage rate (61 percent in 2010) than 22 other African countries. The level of income had a direct impact on birth registration. The higher the income, the higher the birth registration rate (Figure 2). We can also observe that in adverse conditions (such as the deterioration of the political and security conditions in 2006), the poorest population was more impacted (in terms of rate of birth registration), than the richest population. We can also observe that the disparity between rural and urban birth registration was largest when the overall birth registration coverage was lowest (in 2006) (Figure 3). Poverty is a more severe obstacle to registration and a problem prevalent more in the countryside than in urban areas in CAR, but is especially so when the country goes through a political crisis. Outside CAR’s capital city of Bangui (which accounts for 20 percent of the population), the registration of vital events is not easy; on average, each registration office outside the capital serves an area of 2,443 km2, which is equivalent to a service area with a perimeter of 27–28 km from the office. To mitigate poor accessibility, CAR resorts to conducting ‘audiences foraines’, i.e., itinerant registration services to serve remote communities. 12 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Figure 3. Birth Registration Rate for under 5 Year-olds (%), Rural versus Urban, 2000–2010 100% 90% 87.5 80% 78.4 72.0 70% 63.1 60% 51.6 50% 40% 35.8 30% 20% 10% 0% 2000 2006 2010 Rural Urban Sources: Ministère du Plan, de l’Economie et de la Coopération Internationale, 2009; République Centrafricaine, 2012. Birth certificate and late registration The birth certificate is the main breeder document required for obtaining a national ID. Late registration (after the timeframe for timely registration of one month from birth) is significant, notwithstanding the fact that it is costly. Late registration incurs an extra cost for a medical age assessment and the fees for a court judgment, of about USD 17.50. This is a very large amount of money for most of the population; in fact this is so costly that late registrations may disproportionally occur in Bangui while being out of reach for most living outside of the capital. Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 13 Figure 4. Present Day Sample of Birth Certificate National Identity Card CAR introduced a national identity card in 1960 by Law 60-164. The law was amended twice—in 1962 (Law 62-345) and in 1964 (Law 64-35). Reportedly no changes have occurred in the law since then. The Ministry of Interior is responsible for delivering the National Identity Cards. Any individual over 12 can and must obtain the card. The law prescribes the birth certificate or the jugement supplétif as the required breeder document (the nationality certificate is not mentioned as required in the text of the law of 1960, or its subsequent changes). The card is only issued in Bangui. 14 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC The law of 1960 states that any person not carrying the card from January 1, 1963 (later extended to January 1, 1965), would be liable for a fine. But it is unlikely that these fines were ever imposed. There is no official figures regarding the identity card coverage—estimates are coverage at below 20 percent of the total population. Since 1960, there were two types of cards. The first card was printed on paper (Figure 5), while the second card, launched in 2006, is a polycarbonate card (Figure 6) (although format specifications do not conform to the laws). Both cards include a fingerprint and have a validity of 10 years. The card numbering changed from one card to the next. The details of personal data shown on the card have been reduced: parents of the cardholder are no longer mentioned, and the cardholder’s signature is no longer shown either. The Mission has not been able to observe how application forms for the national identity card are kept, or to establish whether a database of the 2006 national identity cards existed and survived the 2013 crisis. The card production facility and equipment were destroyed during the 2013 crisis. Since then, only a “récépissé” (without security features) has been issued. Récépissés need renewal every three months at a cost of FCFA 2,000 (USD 3.50) per receipt. Figure 5. National Identity Card as Introduced in 1960    Figure 6. Polycarbonate National Identity Card as Introduced in 2006    Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 15 Figure 7. Receipt Replacing National Identity Cards as Introduced in 2014 Nationality Certificate CAR gives all children born in its territory the right to acquire nationality by declaration from the age of 12. But the country’s citizenship law is not helpful with regards to recognizing citizenship of the people. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has expressed concern about violations of the right to a nationality for children whose birth had not been registered or for children whose parents were not nationals of CAR (Manby, 2016). This is an area where the country should consider change. More generally, the country has a citizenship policy that puts it in the category of the least accommodating in Africa. Voter’s Card The current electoral law is strict in stipulating that voting does require a voter ID, but the current voter ID is simple and low security. Photographs were taken, but the quality proved too variable for use. The voters’ database now held by ANE is the largest and most important digital identity database in the country, with close to 2 million records. A majority of registered electors will still have the voter ID issued to them. 16 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Figure 8. Photo Identification Card for Electors, Elections 2015–2016 Registration campaigns are still needed before elections since a complete and functioning population register is not in place. The cost of voter registration makes up an important part of election costs. CAR has an impressive record of elections held for the presidency, and for the National Assembly, among others. The country has organized 20 elections since 1958, including the constitutional referenda, and five presidential elections. Local elections, however, were not held since 1988. Since 1958, the voter registration rates have varied between 62 percent and 92 percent. Voter turnout has never been as high, 93 percent, as in 1964 when the first Presidential election was held, and, 92 percent, in 1981 when the Constitutional Referendum was taken. A low of 45 percent was reached in 1994 for the third constitutional referendum. The voter turnout since 1993 has been low, only 51 percent, which is well below the African average of 63 percent since 2000. Passport The Ministry of Interior manages the issuance of passports. Breeder documents to obtain a passport are the birth certificate or the jugement supplétif. The cost of the passports, compliant with CEMAC standards, is FCFA 50,000 (USD 90). Production is outsourced to AFRICARD, a company associated with Inkript and RGH from Lebanon. Legal Framework The legal and regulatory framework for civil registration and civil identification in CAR is laid down in: ƒƒ Family Code, Law No. 97-013 of October 1998; ƒƒ Laws on civil registration: • Ordinance No. 69-033 of July 1, 1969; and • Ordinance No. 69-034 of July 1, 1969. ƒƒ Law No. 60-164 of 1960 on the national identity card, and its two amendments: • Law 62-345 of 1962; and • Law 64-35 of 1964. Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 17 In addition to the aforementioned laws, and in the domain of civil registration and identification, the following laws are important as legal frameworks: ƒƒ Constitution of the Republic of March 30, 2016, and Decree No. 160218 regarding the promulgation of the Constitution; ƒƒ Law No. 1961-212 of April 20, 1961, regarding the Central-African Nationality Code, and its amendments: • Law 63-406 of May 17, 1963; • Law No. 1964-54 of December 2, 1964; • Order No. 1966-64 of August 30, 1966; ƒƒ Decree No. 14-228 of July 10, 2014, regarding free issuance of birth certificates for children born during the period of conflict. In addition to the laws and other regulations that constitute the legal and regulatory frameworks for civil registration and identification, there are some additional relevant national and international laws and conventions to which CAR is a party, namely: ƒƒ Electoral Code: • Law No. 13-003; • Law No. 13-004; • Law No. 13-005; ƒƒ Law No. 07-020 of December 28, 2007, on the regulation of telecommunications; ƒƒ Convention on the Rights of the Child signed on July 30, 1990, and ratified on July 25, 1991; and ƒƒ African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) signed February 4, 2003, but not yet ratified. A number of laws and regulations have been enacted for the telecommunications sector: ƒƒ Law No. 07-020 of December 28, 2007, on the regulation of telecommunications; ƒƒ Law No. 07-021 of December 28, 2007, setting the fees and charges on property and/or operation of networks and telecommunications services applicable throughout the national territory; ƒƒ Law No. 08-011 of February 13, 2008, on the organization’s institutional and legal framework applicable to businesses and public offices; ƒƒ Decree No. 96-241 of August 27, 1996, approving the statutes of the Agency for Regulation of Telecommunications (ART); ƒƒ Order No. 03-004 of May 27, 2007, setting the fees and charges in operating telecommunications throughout the country; ƒƒ Law 17-016 regarding the dissolution of ART and its replacement through Law 17-017 by the Electronic Communications and Posts Regulation Authority (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes–ARCEP). To this can be added the five directives of CEMAC ministers responsible for telecommunications taken in 2008, inter alia for the protection of privacy and private data and against cybercrime, as well as more current initiatives at the CEMAC level. 18 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Post-Crisis Identification Context General Considerations on the National Context CAR is one of the poorest countries in the world and is ranked 188 out of 189 in terms of the Human Development Index, with an HDI of 0.367 in 2017. The successive political and military crises that have torn CAR since March 2013 unraveled its social fabric. The country is now embarking on a long path to recovery, and elections in 2016 brought hope for a gradual end to transition and turmoil. But poverty remains and 75 percent of the population is considered vulnerable. Food insecurity affects between 40 and 82 percent of the population depending on whether people are displaced, refugees, or permanent residents. Since 2013, over 600,000 people (25 percent of the population) have been displaced within the country, and over 570,000 people sought refuge in neighboring countries. Between January and August 2008, 235,000 returned to their hometowns. Public services outside the capital were ruined by the recurrent violence of the past 20 years. Most government officials of rural areas returned to Bangui, and in 2017 only 9 préfets (regional prefects), 12  secrétaires généraux (general secretaries) and 50 sous-préfets (sub-prefects) were still at their posts, for a total of 16 préfectures and 71 sous-préfectures. The absence of the state outside of Bangui and the poor capacity of centralized authorities in a permanent context of insecurity broke the social contract between the state and the population. It also led to massive displacements of the population and to outright dependence on humanitarian aid. While about 60 percent of the territory remains under the control of nongovernment armed forces, the government has adopted a National Strategy for the Restoration of State Authority which includes, among others, the redeployment of préfets, sous-préfets, governments officials, and civil servants through a program aimed at reinforcing the capacity, infrastructure, and equipment for national security, education, and health purposes. Outside of Bangui, the national infrastructure is extremely deficient. Only 8 percent of the population has access to electricity, and only 10 percent of the cities and 1 percent of rural administrative centers are connected to the national electric company. According to the International Telecommunication Union, CAR ranked last in terms of digital access in 2014. At the end of 2015, mobile penetration was only 37 percent (versus 67 percent for Central Africa and 77 percent for Sub-Saharan Africa). Mobile broadband and Internet penetration are extremely low. Only 1 percent of the population has Internet access at home. Assessment The violence that broke out in November 2012 led to an almost complete breakdown of government services in the countryside and wanton destruction of government buildings (including their interior fittings, furniture, and equipment) and of document records. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Justice were particularly affected, especially outside of Bangui. UNDP estimates that these ministries have lost, respectively, 60 percent, 70 percent, and 80 percent of their document archives. People’s identity records have also been lost. The number of birth records established since 1950 outside of Bangui and lost in 2013 could be about 1.5 million (based on a low-end estimate of the number of registered births since 1950), and the number of death records established outside of Bangui since 1950 and lost in 2013 could be about 150,000. During the crisis of 2013 the national identity card production facility in Bangui was destroyed, and application records may also have been lost there. Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 19 Figure 9. Functional Civil Registration Office Counts in 1974 and 2013, Pre- and Post-crisis 1974 0 172 11 2013 pre-crisis 8 175 80 2013 post-crisis 0 35 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Primary office Bangui Arrondissement offices Bangui Primary registration offices Secondary offices Sources: OCAM, 1974 and Ministry of Interior officials. Civil registration offices were highly impacted by the crisis. According to officials of the Ministry of Interior, 100 percent of the secondary offices (i.e., 80 out of 80) and 80 percent of the primary offices (i.e., 140 out of 176) are no longer operational. Civil registration for the whole of Bangui is now concentrated in the central office of the City Hall of the capital (even though it is not clear whether Bangui arrondissement offices are operational and whether registers have been lost there as well). An effect of the 2013, conflict of which the scope has not been assessed as yet and thus is unknown, is the loss of identity papers by people who had to flee their homes. By the end of 2013, about one in five in the population were displaced within the country, while 10 percent of the population fled abroad. Many of these people may have lost their identity papers. Challenges CAR presents a very special case of civil registration and identity management in Africa and in the world. Prior to 2013 a common practice had been established, that for every 100 births of newborn children, about 70 were registered in rural areas and 90 were registered in urban areas. Providing a legal identity for all, including birth registration by 2030 (sustainable development target 16.9) seemed, in 2012, to be a goal within the country’s reach. But the violence in 2013 no longer makes that goal feasible. CAR is now in an extraordinary position. It has lost much of its civil registration history and infrastructure. It needs to recover quickly to avoid the consequences of a government not knowing its citizens, where many citizens and their descendants suffer serious problems of not having a legal, recognized identity and nationality. The longer the delay in solving the problem, the more difficult and costly solving it becomes. With regard to civil registration, the challenge is that the legal provisions are not designed for the extraordinary circumstances the country finds itself in. Indeed, Article 183 of the Family Law stipulates that the government has the obligation to reconstitute registration records (although it does not state within what timeframe it needs to occur). The law also provides for the procedure of obtaining a duplicate of a registration act (birth certificate, Art. 138), or a court judgment stating the absence of a record of a vital event (jugement à l’inexistence d’un acte de l’état civil, Art. 179); hence a significant involvement of the Ministry of Justice is necessary. In sum, the provision in the law does not fit the exceptional situation in which CAR finds itself. Reconstituting the civil register records and replacing lost identity papers is a daunting and extremely time-consuming task that would demand a project of national priority, requiring substantial international technical and financial support. 20 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC With regard to identification, the destruction of CAR’s national identity card production facility forced the country to consider how to start anew. The information available in 2017 on these plans was confounding. On the one hand billboards across Bangui announced in 2017 a new biometric national identity card, a secure nationality certificate, secure visas and more, which was confirmed by some government officials. On the other hand, other government officials told the Mission that a request for proposals was being prepared for a civil registration and national identity card project. The media published news on a possible agreement (“convention”) reached in 2016 with Ivoire Card Systems, which would establish a branch in CAR called Centrafricaine Cartes Systèmes (Centrafrican Card System). The Ministry of Interior considers the civil registration and identification projects to be crosscutting. It holds to be the best positioned ministry to lead the project, but reported it would call for proposals to build a consensus across government agencies. There is currently no strategic plan or policy involving the main identity stakeholders to rebuild the civil registration and identification system from a holistic approach. Given the current context, the government may want to consider whether this is the time to start conducting civil registration and identification in a new way. They may want to examine an alternative model to rebuild the civil identification system and see how it could benefit the further reconstruction of the civil registration. Social Protection Policy and Future Management of Social Protection Programs The Ministry of Social Affairs and National Reconciliation has agreed with this Diagnostic assessment of the country’s civil registration and identity systems to inform future decision making. This would include the consideration of social protection policy development and the future management of social protection programs, for which beneficiary identities are not only needed in a utilitarian way but also as a crucial program outcome for national reconciliation. National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan 2017–2021 In May 2016, the CAR government initiated the Needs Assessment for National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan with the support of the European Union, the United Nations, and the World Bank Group. The National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan 2017–2021 (known as RCPCA) is based on the earlier needs assessment and establishes, among other things, that providing basic services, including social protection, is a priority for the country’s stability and further development. The policy is broken down into three main pillars: 1. Promote peace, security, and reconciliation; 2. Renew the social contract between the state and the population; and 3. Facilitate economic and productive sector recovery. This three-pillar program also includes capacity building, implementation, and support. Implementing an expeditious solution to the people’s loss of identity papers and the state’s loss of the majority of its population’s registration records is an important and necessary ingredient for the RCPCA. Pillar 2 of RCPCA relies on the quick deployment of a reliable form of identifying the beneficiaries of public services in general, and of social protection programs in particular, to promptly renew the social contract between the state and the population. Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 21 Table 2. Central African Republic’s RCPCA Prioritization Framework Priority pillar Strategic objectives 1: Support peace, security, and reconciliation Support reduction of violence through disarmament and reintegration of ex-combatants and children associated with armed groups Promote stability through the reform of the security sector Advance justice reform and promote an end to impunity Facilitate reconciliation and social cohesion and create the conditions for the return of refugees and sustainable solutions for displaced persons 2: Renew the social contract between the state and the Redeploy administration across the country and put in population place an inclusive local governance system Provide basic services to the population across the country, particularly in the areas of education, health, and water, by initiating a progressive transfer of capacities and resources to national structures Ensure food security and resilience Strengthen macroeconomic stability and good governance, including public financial management and controls, revenue generation, and anti-corruption measures 3: Promote economic recovery and boost productive Boost and develop productive sectors: agriculture and sectors livestock farming, extractive and forestry industries Repair and construct infrastructure: transport, electricity, and communication networks Establish conditions for private sector development and employment: improved business support and financial services, vocational training, entrepreneurship, and employment Cross-cutting objectives: Reduce regional imbalances; promote gender equality; strengthen transparency and accountability at all levels; develop national capacities (in government and civil society); promote youth inclusion; ensure environmental sustainability and the sutstainable use of natural resources Safety Nets Coordination Interdepartmental Cell—CIFS On October 5, 2018, the Centrafrican government decreed the creation of the Safety Nets Coordination Interdepartmental Cell (Cellule Interministérielle de Coordination des Filets Sociaux—CIFS), under the supervision of the Prime Minister and managed by the Ministry for Humanitarian Action and Reconciliation (MAHR). The CIFS aims at designing, implementing, and promoting a national tool for the monitoring of social protection programs and then to establish a unique social register. To this end, the CIFS is responsible, among other tasks, for the implementation of: ƒƒ A harmonized system for the identification, targeting, and registration of the beneficiaries of social protection programs; ƒƒ A harmonized system for the payment of benefits to those entitled to benefits from social protection programs; and ƒƒ A national system for the monitoring and assessment of the social protection programs. 22 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC The CIFS is to collaborate with other competent organizations in charge of social protection programs and humanitarian aid. Actors involved in social protection programs include the government, NGOs, and international development institutions such as UNDP or the World Bank. They implement three types of programs: contributive prevention programs, emergency and humanitarian programs, and long-term non-contributive prevention programs. The latter target large segments of the population and seek to develop a long-term strategy to build resilience and empower the most vulnerable populations in the country. Among those programs, it is worth mentioning two major government projects financed by the World Bank Group: ƒƒ PACAD: the project targets 75,000 households of displaced people or extremely vulnerable people and aims at helping them through: • Access to basic infrastructure and social services; • Cash transfers; and • Community mobilization and support to develop new income generating activities. ƒƒ LONDO: the project provides 35,500 beneficiaries (500 people in 71 préfectures) with temporary work on highly labor-intensive construction or work projects (road construction for instance) and is already seeking further funding to extend the activities. Along with governments and NGO’s humanitarian projects, PACAD and LONDO represent the backbone of the social protection program in CAR. Because they are non-contributive and target populations at the national level, PACAD and LONDO are considered the best anchors to build up the future social protection national projects and the definition of CIFS’ operational strategy. Id e nt i ty Ec osyste m 23 Analysis and Recommendations Version Française Menaces sécuritaires majeures, mauvaises infrastructures physiques, infrastructures digitales inexistantes et perte massive de documents gouvernementaux résument l’environnement en RCA depuis 2013. Cela a conduit à l’effondrement des systèmes de registre civil et d’identification civile jusqu’alors limités mais fonctionnels. Étant donné cet état des lieux de la situation, reconstituer les documents de registre civil et relancer l’opération du registre civil et des services d’identification civile constitue une tâche colossale qui ne peut, ni ne devrait, être la priorité du pays à court terme, même avec le solide soutien des partenaires internationaux pour le développement. Alors que la population a le droit d’avoir accès aux services de registre civil, et que les organisations gouvernementales, semi-gouvernementales et privées ont toujours besoin de s’appuyer sur un système à des fins d’identification, la RCA doit réfléchir à la meilleure façon de procéder pour restaurer les services de registre civil et d’identification civile. La RCA se trouve en effet à un carrefour stratégique. Le pays pourrait chercher à précipiter la reprise de l’opération de ses systèmes actuels. Ou bien, le pays pourrait repenser totalement les systèmes d’identification et de registre civil. La recommandation est que la RCA devrait prendre le temps d’analyser en profondeur la situation actuelle afin de mieux établir des fondations saines pour le futur et ainsi remplacer les systèmes actuels par des solutions digitales efficientes et intégrées apportant efficacité, fiabilité, interopérabilité, protection de la vie privée, sécurité et contrôle sur les données. A cette fin, il est recommandé d’adopter une stratégie en quatre phases afin d’apporter des solutions aux systèmes de registre civil et d’identification civile, tant à court terme qu’à long terme : 1. Planification de la politique publique et cadre juridique ; 2. Registre civil ; 3. Système national d’identification civile ; 4. Programme d’identification afin d’appuyer les acteurs liés à l’aide humanitaire d’urgence à très court terme. En plus de cette approche, il convient de souligner l’importance des mesures d’incitations afin de garantir le succès d’un projet visant à inclure l’ensemble de la population. Dans le contexte actuel, alors que des individus peinent à se nourrir, parfois même à survivre, il est inconcevable que la totalité de la population cherchera spontanément à se faire enregistrer sans obtenir quelque chose en échange. Pour les individus les plus vulnérables, les incitations peuvent être des transferts directs (nourriture, produit de première nécessité, argent) ou des services (soins de santé, logement, etc.). Les programmes de protection sociale représentent en cela une opportunité unique afin de faciliter l’enregistrement des populations les plus vulnérables, sans pour autant exclure les individus ne souhaitant pas être enregistrés. Pour les populations plus privilégiées, l’accès à des services « plus avancés » pourrait constituer l’incitation. Comme vu plus haut, les banques, les institutions financières non bancaires et les opérateurs de réseaux cellulaires doivent se plier aux régulations KYC (i.e., l’identification du client final pour faciliter la lutte contre le blanchiment d’argent ou le financement de la criminalité transnationale ou du terrorisme). De 24 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC telles organisations peuvent également contribuer au développement d’un registre national en créant, pour les individus, des incitations à s’enregistrer et à obtenir un document d’identité délivré par le Ministère de l’Intérieur. L’autre incitation est davantage d’ordre institutionnel. Étant donnée la tradition électorale du pays, la tenue de chaque élection représente un coût important pour un pays tel que la RCA. Plus spécifiquement, la mise à jour annuelle de la base de données de l’ANE représente un coût élevé étant donné qu’il n’existe pas de base de données centralisée à partir de laquelle l’ANE pourrait obtenir les données nécessaires pour les élections. Le déploiement d’une base de données centralisée et fiable qui interopérerait avec l’ANE réduirait considérablement les coûts des élections. Cela justifierait l’investissement initial de l’état dans la création d’une base de données permettant, entre autres applications, l’authentification des électeurs. Planification de la politique publique et cadre légal Puisque tout est à reconstruire, c’est le moment opportun pour refonder et moderniser le système. Concevoir la solution la plus efficace et économique pour le futur de l’identification et du registre civil requiert à la fois une planification stratégique de la politique publique et la consolidation du cadre légal. L’objet de la planification stratégique de la politique publique est de définir une stratégie à long terme. Alors que les systèmes d’identification et de registre civil impactent l’opération de l’ensemble des acteurs de l’écosystème présenté au paragraphe 2.1 (Ministère de l’Intérieur, Ministère de la Santé, Ministère de la Justice, et tous les clients de service d’identification), l’établissement de la future stratégie nationale devrait résulter de la collaboration de tous ces acteurs. La conception des futurs systèmes ne devrait pas seulement prendre en compte les besoins actuels des acteurs, mais également examiner l’évolution probable de ces besoins. Pour durer, la solution devrait adresser de façon proactive les nécessités à venir de l’ensemble de l’écosystème. Seulement une fois ces nécessités clairement définies, alors les acteurs pourront travailler à la définition des objectifs et des plans d’actions. Le cadre juridique devrait être adapté aux nouveaux objectifs stratégiques nationaux. Alors que la législation actuelle relative à l’identification et au registre civil date des années 1960, il est fortement recommandé de moderniser ce cadre légal. D’un point de vue général, il est recommandé de mieux intégrer et d’harmoniser la législation relative au registre civil et à l’identification civile. Puisque que ces deux composants sont étroitement liés, les réformes proposées encouragent à adopter de nouvelles lois qui supportent mieux le programme stratégique national. Afin de permettre la digitalisation du système, deux lois majeures devraient être adoptées. Tout d’abord, une loi sur la protection des données devra renforcer la protection de la vie privée et établir le cadre régissant comment les données personnelles sensibles peuvent être obtenues, utilisées, stockées et partagées entre les différents acteurs. Cette loi devrait avant toute chose garantir la protection des données personnelles. Ensuite, une loi sur la cyber sécurité devra établir le cadre régissant comment les transactions numériques doivent être réalisées et protégées et comment stocker l’information numérique de façon sécurisée. Sur des points plus spécifiques, il est recommandé de modifier les régulations suivantes. Premièrement, l’obligation légale s’imposant au Ministère de la Justice de reconstituer l’ensemble des documents manquants, perdus ou détruits devrait être abrogée. Reconstituer les documents perdus oblige le Ministère de la Justice à établir des jugements supplétifs à tous les individus ayant perdu leurs documents. Cela est en pratique impossible à faire, d’autant plus que dans de nombreux cas, le ministère ne pourrait appuyer sa décision sur aucun autre document (étant donné que la majeure partie des documents conservés dans les tribunaux à travers le pays a été détruite). An alys is a nd Recom m e ndati ons 25 Deuxièmement, la loi sur la nationalité devrait être rendue moins restrictive. La loi actuelle stipule que la nationalité ne peut être obtenue qu’à l’âge de 12 ans et avec les documents requis, ce qui exclut de fait les enfants non enregistrés préalablement, ou les enfants dont les parents n’ont pas les documents requis, du droit d’obtenir un certificat de nationalité. Il est recommandé que la nationalité soit obtenue à la naissance, au moins pour les nouveau-nés dont les deux parents ont la nationalité centrafricaine. Troisièmement, et bien que ce point reste à vérifier à l’heure actuelle, il est grandement recommandé de rendre l’enregistrement des naissances totalement gratuit. Alors que le délai de grâce devrait être allongé afin de pallier aux difficultés à s’enregistrer, notamment dans les zones les plus reculées, il serait bon de diminuer les pénalités financières liées à l’enregistrement au-delà du délai établi afin de ne pas exclure les familles concernées les plus vulnérables. Registre civil Comme vu plus haut, reconstruire le registre civil est une tâche colossale qui doit être entreprise comme un projet à part, avec les soutiens techniques et financiers de la communauté internationale du développement. Cela ne peut cependant pas être la priorité de la RCA à court terme. La situation sécuritaire, le manque sévère d’infrastructures et la faible capacité du gouvernement à délivrer des services sur l’ensemble du territoire rend la tâche d’autant plus compliquée. Il n’est donc nul besoin de se précipiter. La première étape clé devrait plutôt consister en une analyse approfondie de l’état des pertes des registres, des infrastructures, des populations et de la démographie, ainsi que des ressources humaines disponibles du gouvernement. Voici l’étape préalable à la définition d’une stratégie opérationnelle à long terme qui soit en accord avec la stratégie nationale. Cela requiert des efforts sur le long terme. Ensuite, il est premièrement recommandé de digitaliser le registre civil. Cela améliorera l’opération de façon significative et facilitera l’échange d’informations entre les différents acteurs. La digitalisation inclut à la fois le front office (les bureaux du registre civil à travers le pays) et le back office (la base de données centrale consolidant l’information capturée). Le niveau de centralisation des données (une unique base de données nationale central ou multiples bases de données régionales qui interopérent) devrait être définie sur la base des conclusions du rapport d’analyse préliminaire et du plan stratégique national. Deuxièmement, le système déployé devrait être basique mais robuste. Il devrait permettre d’enregistrer de nouvelles données, de stocker les registres et de partager des données avec les acteurs pertinents, tout cela de façon sécurisée afin d’assurer la protection de la vie privée et des données, ainsi que l’intégrité des données. Le système devrait être conçu afin d’assurer une opération simple par les fonctionnaires publics une fois une formation réalisée (à la fois pour les opérateurs du font office et pour les administrateurs du back office). Troisièmement, il est recommandé d’institutionnaliser des partenariats avec le Ministère de la Santé et avec d’autres acteurs du secteur de la santé. Comme vu plus haut, ce secteur a le réseau le plus développé dans le pays et les données montrent qu’une mère avec enfants interagit à plusieurs reprises avec du personnel du secteur de la santé, cela en une nombre plus élevé qu’il est possible avec le personnel du Ministère de l’Intérieur. La règle d’or du registre civil étant de recevoir l’information de deux sources distinctes, le personnel du secteur de la santé pourrait utiliser des dispositifs mobiles pour envoyer des notifications de naissance au Ministère de l’intérieur avant l’enregistrement de fait. Système national d’identification civile Le système national d’identification civile devrait être repensé afin de mieux servir à la fois l’ensemble de la population et les clients des services d’identification, dans un environnement de plus en plus digital. Cela devrait être la résultante d’une analyse approfondie du système existant et des besoins des acteurs 26 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC concernés (population, banque, institutions financières non bancaires, opérateurs de réseaux cellulaires, agences gouvernementales) ainsi que du plan stratégique global. Il est recommandé de renforcer les partenariats avec les clients de services d’identification (banque, institutions financières non bancaires, opérateurs de réseaux cellulaires, agences gouvernementales) et les partenaires du développement (Groupe Banque mondiale, ONG, etc.). Ces partenaires offrent une opportunité unique pour diffuser l’utilisation des services d’identification, pour supporter le processus d’enregistrement et pour créer des incitations pour la population à s’enregistrer (via l’accès à des services). Quant à l’architecture technique du système, une base de données centralisée avec un moteur biométrique servant au processus de déduplication des données biométriques et démographiques de la population et la délivrance d’un support (carte d’identité par exemple) permettant une authentification basée sur deux facteurs (ce que je suis + ce que je possède ou ce que je sais) devrait être l’architecture cible. Le modèle indien du programme Aadhaar peut fournir un exemple intéressant à analyser  : le système permet d’enregistrer et d’authentifier les individus au travers d’un support basique et abordable, le numéro d’identifiant unique. Il sera toutefois important de prendre en considération, lors de la conception de la solution technique, le concept de privacy by design (protection des données personnelles dès la conception du système) comme un élément central du système de RCA. L’actuel carte nationale d’identité pourrait être conservée. Mais elle devrait être rendue accessible à toute la population (pas seulement pour les plus privilégiés, concentrés à Bangui) et la façon dont elle apporte une valeur ajoutée lors du processus d’identification devrait être examinée. EIle n’est actuellement utilisée par les individus et les clients de services d’identification que pour vérification visuelle. Considérant le contexte économique et sécuritaire, il est crucial de restreindre l’enregistrement de données personnelles au strict nécessaire pour permettre l’authentification et l’interopérabilité avec les bases de données externes. Il n’est également pas nécessaire de déployer un système biométrique avancé : l’enregistrement de deux indexs et une photographie du visage devrait suffire. La redéfinition et la digitalisation du système national d’identification implique également la reconception ad hoc des procédures opératoires afin de permettre la bonne opération du système étant donné le contexte sécuritaire et les infrastructures limitées, notamment en terme de communication. L’enregistrement itinérant devrait être encouragé afin de faciliter l’accès au système aux individus les plus vulnérables. L’enregistrement local et le transfert asynchrone des données vers la base centrale pourraient être envisagés afin de permettre le processus de déduplication dans les zones non couvertes par des réseaux de communication, et donc où le transfert en temps réel des données est impossible. Enfin, le système national d’identification devrait s’appuyer sur les systèmes fiables alors existants afin d’alimenter la base de données. Globalement, il est fortement recommandé de rechercher le soutien technique d’organisations externes afin de concevoir la solution technique la plus adaptée. Depuis la rédaction d’un cahier des charges technique à la négociation du contrat, le gouvernement de RCA devrait tenter de s’inspirer des bonnes pratiques déployées dans les autres pays et être conseillé, sans parti pris, sur la meilleure solution à déployer. Système d’identification pour les acteurs liés aux programmes de protection sociale Tel que souligné dans les objectifs du CIFS, les acteurs de la protection sociale on un besoin urgent d’identifier les bénéficiaires afin de restaurer l’accès aux services les plus élémentaires et de venir en aide aux populations les plus vulnérables. Le gouvernement est actuellement en train de mettre en place une stratégie nationale largement supportée par ces acteurs afin d’établir un outil harmonisé pour gérer et contrôler les programmes de protection sociale. An alys is a nd Recom m e ndati ons 27 Le CIFS serait en charge d’établir et de contrôler les programmes de protection sociale et leurs bénéficiaires. En s’appuyant sur cette stratégie, l’objectif final est de créer un registre social unique avec couverture universelle. Un jalon intermédiaire pourrait être atteint par la coordination des agences gouvernementales et des partenaires internationaux du développement et la création d’un registre de bénéficiaires unique qui pourrait être étendu à une plus large partie de la population, et ainsi devenir un composant fiable sur lequel construire le futur système national d’identification civile. Afin d’adresser le besoin à court terme résultant de la grave crise humanitaire, la première initiative devant émerger est le déploiement d’une solution permettant aux partenaires de la protection sociale (SPP) de mieux contrôler la distribution d’aide sans que cela ne nuise à leur opération sur le terrain ni ne génère d’exclusion. L’objectif est simple : suite à l’enregistrement de la population cible, il convient de s’assurer que tous les bénéficiaires, tel que défini par le CIFS ou les SPP, reçoivent l’aide à laquelle ils ont droit, sans que cela n’impacte l’opération sur le terrain. Les partenaires peuvent aider à l’enregistrement des populations cibles. Les projets PACAD et LONDO, puisqu’ils englobent de larges pans de la population et vont probablement durer plusieurs années, pourraient constituer des partenaires de premier plan pour enregistrer les bénéficiaires et promouvoir l’adoption du nouveau système. A cet égard, il est proposé le déploiement d’une solution basique qui réponde aux besoins des organisations concernées et qui puisse, à terme, constituer une brique du futur système national. English Version CAR’s current context is depicted by critical security threats, poor physical and inexistent digital infrastructure, and the massive loss of government documents. This has led to the collapse of a limited but fairly well functioning civil registration and identification system in the country. Given the current assessment of the situation, reconstructing the civil registration records and resuming operation for both civil registration and identification services are daunting tasks that cannot, nor should be, achieved in the short term, including with the strong support of international development partners. As the population is entitled to have access to civil registration services, and government, semi-government, and private organizations still need to rely on a system for identification purposes, CAR needs to think about the best way to restore civil registration and identification services. CAR is indeed at a crossroads. It could rush in trying to fix and restore the current systems’ operation. Or it could reconsider the entire civil registration and identity systems. The recommendation is that CAR takes a step back and sets up healthy foundations for the future by transforming the current systems into efficient and integrated digital solutions that bring efficiency, reliability, interoperability, privacy, security, and control over the data. To this end, it is recommended to adopt a four-phase approach to address civil registration and identification issues, both in the short and the long term: 1. Policy planning and legal framework; 2. Civil registration; 3. National foundation identification system; and 4. Social protection identification program. In addition to this phased approach, it is important that incentives are a core element to succeed in registering large portions of the populations. In CAR’s current context, people are striving to eat and sometimes to just survive. It can thus not be considered that the entire population will be seeking to register without gaining something in exchange. 28 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC For the most vulnerable individuals, incentives can be direct transfers (food, product, or cash) or access to services (healthcare, housing, etc.). Social protection programs represent a unique incentive for registration of the most vulnerable population, without excluding reluctant or non-registered people. For more privileged populations, access to other “more advanced” services can be the incentive. We saw earlier that banks, NBFIs, and MNOs must comply with KYC regulations. Such institutions could also contribute in developing the national register by creating incentives for citizens to register and obtain identity credentials delivered by the Ministry of Interior. Another incentive is more institutional. Given the electoral tradition in the country, it should be considered that elections represent a significant cost for countries such as CAR. More specifically, updating the ANE’s voter database every April comes at a high cost, mainly because it cannot rely on any centralized database. Deploying a reliable central database to then push the list of voters to the ANE database would significantly reduce election costs and provide a financial incentive for the state to develop a central database that enables voter authentication. Policy Planning and Legal Framework Given that everything has to be rebuilt, it is the proper time to profoundly reshape and modernize the system. Designing the best cost-effective solutions for the future of civil registration and identification in CAR requires both strategic policy planning and consolidation of the legal framework. The purpose of the strategic policy planning is to define a long-term national strategy. As civil registration and identification systems impact the operation of the stakeholders in the entire ecosystem (Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, all identity services clients), establishing the future national strategy should result from the convening of all stakeholders. The design of future systems should not only take into consideration the current needs of all stakeholders, but also examine what those needs are likely to be in the near future. The solution should proactively address upcoming necessities of the entire ecosystem to last. Once requirements are clear, then stakeholders can work on setting up goals and plans. The legal framework should then be adapted to address the new national strategic objectives. While current relevant laws date back from the 1960s, it is strongly advised to modernize the legal framework. At the macro level, it is recommended to better integrate and harmonize laws on civil registration and identification. Because those two components are closely knitted, the proposed reforms call for adopting new laws that better fit with the new national strategic program. To address digitization of the system, two major regulations should be enacted. First, a law on data protection would address privacy and establish the framework on how sensitive personal data can be captured, used, stored, and shared between relevant stakeholders. It should first and foremost focus on protecting personal data. Second, a law on cybersecurity would address and establish the framework on how digital transactions are to be performed and protected, and on how to securely store digital information. At the micro level, it is recommended to modify the following regulations. First, the legal prerogative calling for the Ministry of Justice to rebuild all missing or lost registration records should be waived. Reconstructing the lost records legally compels the Ministry of Justice to establish jugements supplétifs to all individuals who lost their legal documents. This is literally impossible to do, even more so that in many cases it could rely on no previous record to make a decision (given the destruction of the major part of the records stored in courts throughout the country). An alys is a nd Recom m e ndati ons 29 Second, the law on nationality should be turned less restrictive. The current law stipulates that nationality can only be obtained at 12 years of age with the relevant documents, which bars non-registered children, or children whose parents lack the relevant documents, from obtaining a nationality certificate. It is recommended that nationality be obtained at birth; at least for newborns whose parents have a Centrafrican nationality. Third, while this point is not completely clear at the moment, it is strongly recommended to make birth registration totally free of charge. While the grace period for late registration should be extended to meet difficulties to register, in particular for populations living in remote areas, late registration penalties should also be diminished to avoid exposing families registering late to a significant cost (which, basically, cannot be borne by people outside Bangui). Civil Registration As seen before, rebuilding the civil register is a daunting task that has to be addressed as a project of its own, with the technical and financial support of the development community. It cannot be CAR’s priority in the short term though. Any attempt to reconstruct the civil registration is made even more difficult by the current national context: a secure environment, severe lack of infrastructure, and poor capacity of the government to deliver services. There is thus no rush. The first key stage should rather be a comprehensive assessment of the state of records, infrastructure, population and demographics, and public sector human resources. This is the necessary step to further set up a long-term operational strategy in line with the national general strategy. This requires long-term efforts. As for recommendations, it is first recommended to turn the civil registration digital and paperless. This will greatly enhance operation and ease interoperability with relevant stakeholders. Digitization includes both the front office (civil registration offices throughout the country) and back office (consolidation of data into databases). The level of centralization of the data (regional civil registration databases interoperating or one central national database) should be defined based on the findings of the assessment and the strategic plan. Second, the implemented system should be basic but robust. It should permit registering new data, storing records, and enabling data sharing with relevant stakeholders, all in a secure way that guarantees privacy, data protection, and data integrity. The system should be designed to allow flawless operation by civil servants after training is conducted (both for front office and back office operators). Third, it is recommended to institutionalize partnerships with the Ministry of Health and other health actors. As seen earlier, the health sector has the largest network in the country, and health data show that mothers with children are multiple times interacting with health staff in many more locations than where the population can interact with the Ministry of Interior. The gold standard for civil registration is that registrars receive information from two separate sources. Health staff could use mobile devices to send notification of birth to the Ministry of Interior prior to birth registration. National Foundation Identification System The national identification system should be reshaped to better serve both the entire population and the identity services clients in an increasingly digital environment. This should result from an in-depth assessment of the existing system and of the needs of all stakeholders (populations, banks, NBFIs, MNOs, and government agencies) and from the setup of a global plan. It is recommended to strengthen partnerships with identity client services (banks, NBFIs, MNOs, and government agencies) and development partners (WBG, NGOs, etc.). Such partners offer a unique opportunity to spread the use of identity services, support the registration process, and create incentives for the population to register (access to services). 30 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC With regard to the technical architecture of the system, a national centralized database with an ABIS to process identity de-duplication with the entire population’s biometric and demographic data and the delivery of a credential allowing for two-factor authentication (what I am + what I have or what I know) should be the target architecture. The Indian Aadhaar model can provide an interesting model to explore as a means for registering and authenticating individuals through a basic and cheap credential. It would nevertheless be important to take into consideration privacy by design as a crucial pillar of the CAR system, and thus avoid the use of a Unique Identity Number. The current national identity card could be maintained. But it should be made accessible to the entire population (not only for a few, mainly in Bangui), and how it brings added value for authentication should be examined. It is currently used by individuals and identity service clients only for visual checks. Considering the security and economic context, it is of crucial importance to restrict the registration of personal information to its bare minimum to enable authentication and interoperability with external databases. Also, there is no need in the short term to deploy an advanced biometric system; the registration of two indexes and a face photograph would suffice. The reshaping and digitization of the national foundation identification system also implies reshaping ad hoc operations to enable operation, given the security context and the poor infrastructure, in particular in terms of communication. Itinerant registration should be encouraged to access the most vulnerable populations. Local registration and shipment to a central facility could be envisaged to enable de-duplication in areas where communication does not enable data transfer. Finally, the national foundation identification system should build on more recent reliable systems to feed its database. Overall, it is strongly advised to seek help from external organizations to help shape the most relevant technical solution. From RFP’s requirements to contract negotiations, the government of CAR should seek to build from the experience of other countries and be advised to implement the solution in an unbiased manner. Social Protection ID Program As stressed in CIFS’ objectives, social protection actors have an urgent need to identify beneficiaries to restore access to basic services and support the most vulnerable communities. The government is currently setting up a national strategy backed by such actors in order to establish a harmonized tool to manage and monitor social protection programs. The CIFS would be in charge of establishing and monitoring social protection beneficiaries and programs. Building on this strategy, the final objective is to create a unique social register with universal coverage. Intermediary milestones can be reached by coordinating government and international development agencies and NGOs and creating a common beneficiary registry, which can then be extended to a larger part of the population, and become the main input of the national foundation identification system. To address the short-term necessity, which results from the severe humanitarian crisis in the country, the first initiative that should emerge is the deployment of a solution that enables social protection partners (SPP) to better monitor aid distribution without impacting on their operation or creating exclusion. The goal is simple: after enrollment of target populations, ensure that all beneficiaries, as set by the CIFS, receive the aid for which they are entitled, without impacting SPP operation on the field. Partners can help register targeted populations. PACAD and LONDO projects, because they encompass large segments of the population and are likely to be running for several years, could be the first help in registering beneficiaries and adopting and promoting the new system. It is proposed to deploy a basic system that serves the needs of organizations on the field and that can be integrated as a component to the foundational system in the future. An alys is a nd Recom m e ndati ons 31 Annexes Annex 1. Background Information for CAR Diagnostic Annex 2. Diagnostic CAR Table of Summary Findings Annex 3. History of the Civil Registry in Equatorial Africa and Central African Republic Annex 4. Demand for Identity Services Annex 5. Bibliography 32 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Annex 1. Background Information for CAR Diagnostic Diagnostic Short Data Sheet Country: Dates of Diagnostic fieldwork: From: 07/04/2017 To: 07/23/2017 CAR From: XX/XX/2017 To: YY/YY/2017 Name of person filling the questionnaire: Giuseppe Zampaglione Jaap van der Straaten e-Mail: gzampaglione@worldbank.org e-Mail: jvanderstraaten@crc4d.org Phone: +1(202) Phone: +31 653 330 028 Online resources for the Diagnostic Population (indicate year): 4,594,621 (2015) Estimated number of unregistered population: Last population census (year): 2003 • Unregistered births (<2 years old): 44.8% Birth registration rate under-five children: 61% • Unregistered births (2–4 years old): 34.6% (of which have a birth certificate: 46.6%) Age group 0–18 years having birth certificates: •  Unknown Age group 0 and over having National Identity Cards: •  Unknown Did the population census ask questions about birth registration, birth certificate, or identity docs? No Has the country carried out a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)? Yes Last DHS (year): 2010 List key websites of CR, CI, and PP agencies relevant to identity management, and other websites: Civil Registration (CR) URL: None Civil Identification (CI) URL: None Population Registry (PR) URL: None Other (please specify) URL: http://primature.govcf.org/ (Prime Minister’s Office) Which organizations, international and/or national, are active in the field of identity management in the country? UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, European Union, and World Bank World Bank ID4D Global Data Set (URL): http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/id4d-dataset Key information providers Name Position Ministry/agency e-Mail/ 1. Michel A. Bangui Directeur des Etudes Ministry of Interior appo.bangui@yahoo.fr Anne x 1. Bac kgroun d Infor mat ion for C AR Diag nostic 33 Annex 2. Diagnostic CAR Table of Summary Findings Score 1–4 Evaluation criteria 1 2 3 4 Part I: Legal and regulatory framework for civil registration and civil identification Legislation enacted for civil Outdated (1997) registration Legislation enacted for civil Outdated (1964) identification Legislation on privacy and Nonexistent protection of personal data Legislation enacted for SIM 2017 registration Legislation for digital payments Unknown Legislation for pensions Unknown Part II: Barriers and obstacles to timely and universal registration (accessibility) What is the estimated rate of birth <50% 50–80% 81–94% 95% registration (0–5 years) (10%) Has a CRVS assessment been No Planned To be carried out Has been carried out carried out? If the country is multiethnic or multilingual, are there provisions Provisions/ Has been partially to ensure civil registration and No Planned accommodations are implemented civil identification for traditionally in place excluded groups? Part III: Institutional and administrative framework Are there clearly defined lines of Organogram Organogram and Organogram and administrative responsibility? in preparation manuals prepared operation manuals No and operational and implemented implemented and manuals under centrally (or functioning preparation mostly) Timeliness for issuing identity credential—birth (and death) certificate, after citizen applied/ 4–8 1–4 weeks 1–7 days 5–60 minutes registered (assuming all documents weeks presented were accepted as verification) Timeliness for issuing identity credential—ID token, National Registration Card, after citizen 4–8 1–4 weeks 1–7 days 5–60 minutes applied/registered (assuming weeks all documents presented were accepted as verification) Does the agency have ISO certifications for any of the 0 1 2 >3 processes? 34 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Score 1–4 Evaluation criteria 1 2 3 4 Part IV: Use and management of information and communication technology (ICT) Has ICT been introduced for the Planned. management and administration of No (very Specification In the process of Implemented and the register? limited) defined, will be implementing functioning procured Has ICT been introduced for the Planned. registration processes? Specification In the process of Implemented and No defined, will be implementing functioning procured Does the certificate or identity Weak (current token have security features that No Strong Very strong récépissé) can prevent document fraud? Part V: Interconnectivity and interoperability between legal and administrative registries Does the ministry have formal Robust Robust agreements with other agencies interconnected In the planning interconnected or institutions for the purpose of No on-line protocol phase on-line protocol with authenticating identities? with ≥1 other ≥4 other agencies agency Are there explicit protocols on Protocol Protocol developed authentication of identity based on In planning developed and No and established with an identity token/card? phase established with ≥4 agencies ≥1 agency Is the passport agency In planning Fully operational (In interconnected with the civil No In testing phase phase the same ministry) registration agency? Anne x 2. D iag nost ic CA R Table of Sum ma ry Fi ndi ngs 35 Annex 3. History of the Civil Registry in Equatorial Africa and Central African Republic French Equatorial Africa was formed in 1908 and encompassed present-day Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Chad, and Central African Republic. Brazzaville became the federal capital. Civil registration was introduced in CAR according to one source [OCAM, 1974] in 1894, although the oldest registration of death now to be found in Bangui dates from 16 January 1907. The first birth registration dates from 25 January 1907, while the “Imprimerie du Gouvernement” in Brazzaville apparently had printed the register in 1906. In French Equatorial Africa it was only in 1934 that a decree was issued for the registration of births and deaths and another decree issued for marriage on 15 June 1939, though all still on a voluntary basis. A new decree issued on 13 December 1940 made marriage registration compulsory for all, while birth and death registration was mandatory for a confined group only. This changed again in 1944 when all births, deaths, and marriages needed to be declared in defined locations in the main urban centers when they occurred within a distance of 10 kilometers from the registration office, although this seems to have not applied in CAR. This then was followed by new regulations issued across the region in 1957 and 1958 in CAR by “Déliberation” No. 156/58 of 20 May 1958. On 12 July 1960 the country became independent. There was little information available about the coverage of civil registration then. According to one source in 1953, seven years before Independence, 20 percent of births were registered (Cantrelle and Garenne, 2015). After Independence in 1984, the birth registration rate was reported to be only 11 percent (IIVRS, 1986). In the first years after Independence (1961–1964), three laws and one ordinance were issued—all with regards to nationality. In 1969 two decrees, both of 1 July 1969, were issued pertaining to civil registration; it regulated registers (No. 69/33) and late registration (No. 69/34). Reportedly at least until 1974 this remained the legal basis for civil registration (OCAM, 1974). Presently civil registration law is part of the Family Law, Law No. 97.013, of 1997, first book “Des Personnes Physiques”), 3rd chapter (“De l’État Civil”), Articles 101–199. In the year of its independence (1960) CAR introduced a law for a national identity card—it appeared as the first among the countries of the former French Equatorial African countries (Gabon followed in 1961 and Cameroon in 1964). Law 60-164 was amended twice—in 1962 (Law 62-345) and 1964 (Law 64-35). Reportedly no changes have occurred in the law since then, although format specifications no longer conformed to these laws when a polycarbonate card was launched in 2006, produced by GET group from Dubai. The production facility was destroyed in 2013, and since then only a “récépissé” is issued, which needs renewal every three months. 36 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Annex 4. Demand for Identity Services Institutional Public Sector Clients for Identity Services Ministry of Defense (Ministère la Défense) The Ministry of Defense supervises and controls the military services, the armed forces (Forces Armées Centrafricaine—FACA), and the “Gendarmerie,” which is an integral part of the National Army. The ministry also receives support from MINUSCA. The staff, under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense, is composed of: ƒƒ FACA: about 5,000 (of which 1,500 are operational); ƒƒ Gendarmerie: 1,800; and ƒƒ MINUSCA: 12,870 uniformed personnel, as well as an “appropriate significant civilian component” (not specified). The Ministry of Defense requires identity services to pay salaries, pensions, and survivor with disability benefits and to perform background checks for any recruit of the armed forces. The Mission has not met with the Ministry of Defense to discuss its use and the status of its own identity card system. The Electoral Code indicates that there are IDs for active as well as retired military. The estimated number of persons associated with the Ministry of Defense, for which that ministry depends on reliable identity information (average household size is five; number of retired staff is 12.5 percent of number of active staff) is 41,000. Ministry of Interior (Ministère de l’Intérieur) The ministry is an important institutional client for the services it delivers itself: it is dependent on breeder documents for the registration of vital events, for the issuance of national IDs, and for the issuance of passports. The records lost by the ministry and the identity papers lost by the holders of those documents created a special situation in the sense that the ministry, as long as it has not replaced both, will be severely hampered in carrying out its core mission. The identity of its own staff is also important. The need is for a database kept by the Human Resource department for all staff working for the Ministry of Interior. It requires particular attention for staff with sensitive roles in departments such as the Police and Immigration and Border Control, and for all staff who work as civil registration officers, since they are gatekeepers to the access of the public to Central African legal identity papers. CAR’s police force is about 1,350 strong. The Mission is not aware that the ministry uses special IDs for the police or others among its own staff. The estimated number of persons with sensitive roles (including retirees and dependents), for which that ministry depends on reliable identity information, is 12,650. Ministry of Justice (Ministère de la Justice) The ministry is an institutional client for identity, as any citizen can be the subject of a court case, for which reliability and integrity of identity credentials are crucial (and required). For example, age information is important to determine whether juvenile justice should be applied. The digitization of society has also Anne x 4. De m a nd for I de nt i ty S e rv ic es 37 introduced new forms of crime—e.g., “cyber crime”—that have come as a by-product and put new demands on the ministry and its know-how. The prison service is also a responsibility of the Ministry of Justice for which identification matters. The prison population was 764 in 2015. The ministry can be seen as an institutional client for identity services for the total population in principle, though at any point of time effectively only for part of the population. Ministry of Finance (Ministère des Finances) The Ministry of Finance is a major institutional client for trusted identity, mainly for tax purposes. A tax identification number (and a card printed by the government printers for a reported cost of FCFA 5,000, or USD 9.15) exist to identify taxpayers. But Ministry of Finance staff report the incidence of fraudulent identification. The ministry has, as yet, no way of knowing whether a taxpayer has deceased. The Mission has not been able to obtain information about the number of income tax payers; the Mission estimates that the number is 25,000, based on the number in neighboring Cameroon (106,000). The ministry is also responsible for payment of the salaries of the 30,000 civil servants, including those who are retired. For these salary and pension payments, the family member identities are also relevant. The estimated number of persons with sensitive roles (including retirees and dependents) for which the ministry depends on for reliable identity information is 168,750. Ministry of Health (Ministère de la Santé) The Ministry of Health uses identity information for clients that use its intramural and extramural health services. Most Central Africans will at least once in their life be a client of the health service, and hence then be entered into a health record kept by the ministry. If properly administered and centralized, this could provide for a record of the entire population, and capture all deaths. Ministry of National Education, Higher Education, and Research (Ministère de l’Education, de l’Enseignement supérier et de la recherche) The improving coverage of birth registration prior to 2013 allowed most parents to show birth certificates attesting to school management to know a child’s date of birth and official name. For obvious reasons age is important in education to put children of the same age in the same school grade, and identity is important for the certification of school completion. The Ministry of Education and the statistics office (ICASEES) depend on reliable identity information to be able to produce education enrollment rates. The role of the education sector is not to be a “co-producer” of identity services, but rather to play a “gatekeeper” role. The right of education for all cannot be compromised, and students cannot be excluded from education with the earmark of boosting registration. This basic education is free of cost and compulsory in principle. Students sit for the Certificat d’Etudes Fondamentales 1 at the end of grade six, the Brevet d’Etudes Fondamentales 2 (Brevet de Collèges) at the end of grade 10 while Baccalaureat concludes grade 13. Altogether there were 788,000 children ages 6 through 18 in school in 2012, out of a total number of children of 1,455,000 within that age frame, or only 54 percent. By 2017 this number increased to a potential school population of about 1,545,000.1 1 National Education Profile CAR 2014. https://www.epdc.org/education-data-research/central-african-republic-national- education-profile [Accessed 2 September 2017] 38 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC The Mission has not been able to ascertain whether universities such as the l’Université de Bangui, use student IDs at the moment. However, in 2008 the university apparently introduced an identity card.2 The student body in higher education was about 10,000, and raised the above number to 1,555,000. The security and convenience (for example meal plans, library) will lead to continued demand for student IDs at schools and institutions of higher learning. Ministry of Social Affairs (Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Réconciliation) The Ministry of Social Affairs might arguably be one of the most important institutional clients of the Ministry of Interior’s services for the identification of its target group. The Ministry of Social Affairs is similarly in a strategic position to be a key partner of the Ministry of Interior in boosting and maintaining the coverage of birth registrations and national IDs, especially among the poorest of the poor. Social affairs ministry’s role in reconciliation gives it an important role in advocating for universal coverage of legal identity, which includes nationality. In principle, social assistance programs would need to reach all those living under the poverty line, i.e., 70 percent of the total population, or 3,200,000, making the Ministry of Social Affairs an important client for the identity information of that group. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) estimated that the population living in CAR below the poverty line increased from 61 percent in 2008 to 70 percent in 2015.3 The international community, with the World Bank and the World Food Program (WFP) making large contributions each, largely funded social assistance programs. The rationale to conduct this Diagnostic has been the World Bank grant of USD 28 million to help communities affected by forced displacement. The International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest countries, provided the grant. The project will benefit 190,000 people who reside primarily in four towns with large numbers of displaced persons. The World Food Program similarly provided support through a number of programs, reporting that it assisted 694,500 persons in June 2017. The two programs together accounted for 900,000 beneficiaries. WFP provided humanitarian assistance through food and nutritional assistance (in-kind and cash distributions). Among these were an emergency school meals program and emergency food rations to newly displaced people. WFP also supported recovery interventions through capacity strengthening and market opportunities to smallholder farmers in an effort to boost local production and promote local food purchases for school meals. For the ministry’s reconciliation task the total population is its target group, and the Ministry of Social Affairs would be the natural stakeholder for the advocacy of universal coverage of legal identity, including nationality. Ministry of Public Administration (Ministère de la Fonction Publique) The ministry acts as the government’s “Human Resource Department.” Hence it is, with the Ministry of Finance, an institutional client for identity information for civil servants and their dependents. As shown under the finance ministry, the number of active civil servants is 30,000, while the Mission estimates those retired and alive at 3,750. For these salary and pension payments, the family member identities are also relevant, the inclusion of which (average family is five members) brings the total to 168,750 persons, whose identities are important for the Ministry of Finance. Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications) This ministry is not just a client for identity services. It is, more importantly, promoting the use of ICT and enabling the development of e-governance, because e-governance digital identity services are just as important as power supplies or the Internet. 2 http://www.acap.cf/Une-carte-securisee-pour-les-etudiants-de-l-Universite-de-Bangui_a1300.html [Accessed 2 September 2017] 3 Nations Unies (2017). Anne x 4. De m a nd for I de nt i ty S e rv ic es 39 The picture of CAR’s ICT policy domain is mixed. The United Nations E-Government Database ranked CAR in 2016 on E-Government Indexes at the very bottom. Even CAR’s equally challenged competitors at the bottom of the ladder are moving up the e-government rankings better than CAR is4 The United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union publishes a country “cyber wellness” profile.5 For CAR the report was last updated in 2015, i.e., it will be up-to-date to a large extent. This profile reveals that CAR did not yet have in place almost all the requirements that the ITU lists as essential in terms of legal framework, technical measures, and organizational measures for cybersecurity. CAR does have its General Regulatory Authority (ART) as the officially recognized agency responsible for implementing a national cyber-security strategy. CAR is, with Equatorial Guinea, one of only two African countries that is NOT a member of the ITU-IMPACT initiative and has access to relevant cyber- security services. However, CAR is among the beneficiaries of the EU/ITU co-funded project “Support for Harmonization of the ICT Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa” (HIPSSA), through its membership of CEMAC. Ministry of Transport (Ministère de l’Equipement et des Transports) The Ministry of Transport is responsible for driving licenses and vehicle papers. The Mission has not been able to meet with the ministry, hence information on the number of driving licenses in circulation and the number renewed annually, and details on their features, have not been obtained. Reportedly there have been problems of counterfeiting in the country and abroad. What ID is required for identification for issuance of the card is not known. CEMAC provides for common transportation and traffic standards in the six CEMAC countries (e.g., Code communautaire de la Route, 2001), including for vehicle papers (“carte grise”) and insurance, as well as mutual acceptance of driving licenses issued by the six countries. The Mission estimates the number of vehicles in the country at 25,000, of which about 60 percent are insured. Currently, the number of new vehicles imported annually is about 550. The number of persons requiring a driving permit and the carte grise may be around 25,000. National Statistics Office (Institut Centrafricain des Statistiques et des Etudes Economiques et Sociales—ICASEES) Unlike any of the other agencies and organizations that exercise institutional demand for identity information, the National Statistics Office (INE), by its nature, ignores data on the identity of individuals. This is essential for the sustainability of statistical work: confidentiality of individual information if breached affects the willingness of the public to cooperate with INE data collection in the future. But the work INE does cannot be done without distinguishing one person from another ICASEES has not published vital statistics generated by the Ministry of Interior. In the meantime ICASEES does produce and publish results from the population censuses (last one 2003) and surveys (e.g., Demographic and Health Survey 1994/95, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, MICS, 1996, 2000, 2006, and 2010). For the subject matter here, though, ICASEES is an institutional client interested in the identities of the total population of the country. 4 https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/33-Central-African-Republic [Accessed 4 September 2017] 5 International Telecommunications Union (2015). https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/Documents/Country_Profiles/ Central_African_Rep.pdf [Accessed 3 September 2017]. 40 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Institutional Semi-Government Sector Clients for Identity Services Bank of Central African States (Banques des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale) Established in 1972, the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) is the central bank common to the six states that make up the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). They are Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Chad, respectively. BEAC oversees the commercial banking system as well as Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs) among which are insurance companies. In doing so it depends on the integrity of the current means of identification in place. The bank is the only issuing authority of the currency of the six countries, the FCFA (which is pegged to the euro) and its internal and external stability. The bank also plays a role in supporting the evolution of new payment systems. The bank’s remit includes the monitoring and management of money laundering activity (AML), financial crime risk (FCR) and terrorist financing (FT). Since “9/11” the fight of global terrorism has included the fight against illegal money flows, and the term “Know Your Customer” (KYC) has become a household term in the financial world because regulations require banks and NBFIs to apply due diligence and verify the identity of their clients. The Central Bank has a supervisory role in making sure this occurs. BEAC keeps track of detailed data on bank transactions, ATM withdrawals, number of credit cards in use, Personal Identification Number (PIN) use, etc. The number of bank account holders in CAR is estimated at a very low 45,000.6 Civil servants and others also use post offices for cash withdrawals, for example salary withdrawals, for which they need an ID. The bank’s supervisory remit extends beyond commercial banks and also includes the insurance industry respectively, two sectors with tens of thousands of members and clients, and others indirectly dependent as beneficiaries. These clients interact with financial institutions and NBFIs hundreds of thousands of times a year. National Election Authority (l’Autorité Nationale des Elections) ANE is one of the largest institutional “clients” of the Ministry of Interior. For the elections of 2015–2016 the voter register covered almost 2 million registered Central Africans of voting age and eligibility. In addition, ANE identified Central Africans overseas who were eligible to vote. ANE presently has the largest electronic database in terms of individuals covered. No biometrics were used. National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale) The National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale—CNSS) is an institution governed by public law, with its own personality and legal capacity and administrative and financial autonomy, under the terms of Law No. 06/034 of 2008. Its responsibility is the management of the country’s social security contributory scheme for the private sector. It is an important institutional client for identity services. CNSS uses a numbering system for clients, but has not introduced an identity card. For security, when clients are enrolled, they are asked to provide a number of memorable private facts that are included in their personal file and can be used for verification of the identity of the client. The organization experiences identity fraud. CNSS covers over 2,500 private companies and 30 NGOs, and a total of almost 24,000 employees. 6 Making Finance work for Africa, https://www.mfw4a.org/central-african-republic/financial-sector-profile.html [Accessed 3 September 2017]. Anne x 4. De m a nd for I de nt i ty S e rv ic es 41 The number of individual identities that matter for pensions and allowances, taking into account an average household size of five persons, is 120,000. Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (l’Autorité desRégulation des Télécommunications Electroniques et des Postes—ARCEP) ARCEP is the Telecommunications Regulatory Board of the Central African Republic. It is a public institution with legal personality and management autonomy; according to law 17.017 of 19 May 2017 (which replaced the Telecommunications Regulations Agency [ART] by the ARCEP). ARCEP operates under the tutelage of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. ARCEP performs the monitoring of technological development and is responsible for the implementation of regulations, development, and promotion of the telecommunications sector and information technology and communication. ARCEP replaced its successor agency, l’Agence de Régulation des Télécommunications (ART), which was dissolved by Law No. 17.016 of 19 May 2017. Since 2009 administrative decision No. 018/MPTNT/CMAJ/09 on the registration of identity for SIM cards, which falls under the ARCEP oversight, MNOs are required to capture identity details of persons to whom a SIM card is sold and a number assigned. It is a requirement by law to produce a valid ID, while electronic communications service providers shall not provide, sell, register, or activate a SIM card if the person does not provide the valid identification documents. Most recently, administrative decision No. 006/MPTPNTIC/DIRCAB/DG-ART/17 required the four mobile network operators (TELECEL, Orange Centrafrique, MOOV Centrafrique, and AZUR Centrafrique) to inactivate all SIMs for which the holder had not been identified. When SIM registration is associated with the country’s security and becomes an obstacle to widespread mobile phone use, important advantages can be sacrificed. According to World Bank data CAR belongs to a group of Sub-Saharan countries where mobile money has not yet made substantial progress—Orange Centrafique has only just started this. Mobile money fosters financial inclusion and could help CAR bridging the urban-rural divide, not just in connectivity but also in income and wealth disparities. However, going beyond that, in CAR the mobile phone could very well be one of the most important means of fostering community in a war-torn country. Mobile phones are an exceptional entry point to address under- registration and the lack of legal identity among young and poor people. A visionary approach and policy would be based on the recognition that the mobile phone has made a mockery of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and is an opportunity for inclusion of a prospective mobile phone user in the country’s identity system as part of a “package deal” rather than as a regulatory hurdle. A next step would be that mobile phones could be used for identification. World Bank data indicate that the number of mobile phone subscriptions in CAR was 25.8 per 100 inhabitants in 2015, with 1,185,000 person having cellular subscriptions in 2016 (the number of fixed lines is less than 2,000). The number of Internet users was 4.6 percent of the population, or 210,000. Given the still low penetration of mobile phones and the Internet, the numbers should grow quickly in future years, provided that conditions in the country will continue to improve. Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water (Ministère des Mines, de l’Energie et de l’Hydraulique)— ENERCA (power) and SODECA (water) The Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water has tutelage over the two companies responsible for the provision of power and potable water, ENERCA (Energ Centrafricaine), and SODECA (the Société de Distribution d’Eau de Centrafrique). ENERCA provides power to about 12.3 percent of the population, while SODECA covered about 30 percent of the population in 2008, a penetration rate here retained because of the impact of events since 2008. 42 ID4 D C O U NT RY D I AG NO S TIC: CENTRA L A FRICAN RE PUBLIC Hence, for these two government companies the number of current identities of importance is 565,000 (power) and 1,380,000 (water). Private Sector Clients for Identity Services Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) According to the information provided above on ARCEP, in 2016, CAR had over 1,185,000 mobile phone subscriptions, or 25.8 mobile phones for every 100 people on average. Mobile phone penetration in almost one-third of African countries has already passed 100 per 100 inhabitants, and CAR is expected to catch up. Given that authentication of the national ID and the other identity documents that are valid proof of identity are not possible online and identity documents are counterfeited, the SIM registration as yet will hardly contribute to national security. The Mission has met with one (the 2nd largest: Orange Centrafrique) of the four MNOs (TELECEL, Orange Centrafrique, MOOV Centrafrique and AZUR Centrafrique) and ARCEP to discuss the verification cost for identity. Mobile phone subscribers can be inactive for some time until they are discontinued. When they return for a new SIM card, verification of identity is needed again. With competition in the market, subscribers can also switch between providers, which requires verification of identity another time around. “Churn rates” of 20–30 percent annually translate into substantial costs. Clearly, facilitating MNOs to authenticate identity with the Ministry of Interior online, when the ministry has a functioning population register, would greatly help reduce costs and help accuracy, and to some extent perhaps, national security. Banks As mentioned under the BEAC section, CAR has an estimated 45,000 account holders. Online authentication possibilities would be helpful to the banks. The banks apply KYC and are keen to avoid identity theft. Mobile money has only just entered CAR, but the banks expect it to grow soon. Account holder identities are verified multiple times each year, and every transaction directly or indirectly involves an authentication of identity, whether it is an ATM withdrawal or a bank balance verification. The importance of identity information can go beyond the account holder, for example where in the case of loan default a legal partner may be liable. Prepaid and debit cards are used instead. There are four registered commercial banks, in three of which the state has a share. The number of bank branches was over 20 in the country but because of the insecurity many branch offices were shuttered. For example, Ecobank reduced its number of branch offices from 13 to 5. The number of micro finance institutions was about 24 in 2012. Insurance companies The insurance sector is still in its infancy. There are only two insurance companies that offer insurance on a small scale, Allianz and SUNU. 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