Somalia and Pakistan are seeking to deepen cooperation on national identification systems and digital government infrastructure, Somalia’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) said.

It follows a visit by a Somali delegation to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, to exchange expertise on national identification, civil registration and digital infrastructure.

The delegation, led by NIRA Director General Abdiwali Ali Abdulle (Timacadde), met with officials from Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), led by its Chairman, Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir Afsar, .

The visit was facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and builds on cooperation between NIRA and NADRA that began in 2018.

The two sides discussed linking national identification systems with government and financial services, secure data exchange, interoperability standards, data protection and the development of technical capacity, NIRA said.

UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative Samuel Rizk and Deputy Resident Representative Van Nguyen also attended the meetings.

The delegations explored ways to strengthen identification and registration systems in both countries, with particular focus on Somalia’s ongoing efforts to develop its national identification system.

During the visit, the Somali delegation also held discussions with Pakistani institutions involved in digital infrastructure, including the Ministry of IT and Telecommunications and other technology-related agencies.

UNDP said the visit was part of efforts to promote South-South cooperation, allowing developing countries to share experience and technical expertise in delivering essential services.

NIRA said lessons from the visit will support Somalia’s efforts to build an integrated identification system linking citizens to government services and providing a foundation for the country’s digital infrastructure.