Zetes publishes the white paper "Beyond identity: an ecosystem to supply quality public services"

Brussels, 6th of June 2019

With the publication of this new document, Zetes continues to promote the approach of viewing the identification of citizens in a broader framework than simply an identification database. The white paper "Beyond identity: an ecosystem to supply quality public services" highlights the advantages of a modern, computerised civil registration system, which is in turn at the heart of an ecosystem of dynamic information systems, and the conditions required for its implementation. Zetes thus invites countries to apply the principles of the KYC (Know Your Customer) concept, which is well known in the private sector, but applied to citizens: KYCitizen. Good governance is achieved through detailed knowledge of the individuals who make up a country's population.

The real issue involved in the identification of citizens is to determine each person's access to services and benefits on the one hand, and to obtain a certain amount of information and statistics for the purposes of public administration and management on the other hand. An identification database cannot achieve these goals, because it does not allow the Government to manage detailed data about the population and individuals that would provide the possibility of setting up customised programmes to fit actual needs.

Extase Akpotsui, Solutions Architect at Zetes and author of the white paper, explains: "Zetes is in the identification business, so we focus mainly on implementing census, identity document production and personalisation, and population registry programmes, but it's impossible to ignore the fact that, to be truly efficient, these programmes must be a part of a more general infrastructure that aims to actually improve services to citizens. Outside of such an ecosystem, those programmes will not achieve their full potential in terms of the benefits they deliver. That is why we felt it was essential to review the necessity of having a civil register and to perform an in-depth analysis of the prerequisites on which its implementation is based. Then, and only then, can a country's investments in identification produce their full results. "

The white paper is available online via the Zetes website, and will be distributed to all participants at the annual meeting of the ID4Africa movement, to be held in Johannesburg from 18 to 20 June 2019, with "Identity Ecosystems for Service Delivery" as its main theme.

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For more information

Corporate Communications Manager
Mathilde Alves Nunes
T +32 2 790 37 48
E mathilde.alves@zetes.com

About Zetes

Zetes is a cutting-edge high-tech company specialising in Supply Chain and People ID optimisation solutions. Our Supply Chain solutions give companies unprecedented agility, visibility, and traceability throughout their connected supply chain. Our People Identification division offers public authorities and supranational institutions solutions to authenticate citizens in the context of producing secure ID and travel documents and creating national registers or electoral rolls.

Zetes has its headquarters in Brussels and more than 1300 employees in 22 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, for a total turnover of 286.2 million euros in 2018. Zetes joined Panasonic Corporation in 2017 as an independent subsidiary. Zetes has its headquarters in Brussels and more than 1300 employees in 22 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, for a total turnover of 286.2 million euros in 2018. Zetes joined Panasonic Corporation in 2017 as an independent subsidiary.

About the People ID Division

The People ID Division of Zetes provides secure solutions that allow governments to properly identify their population and satisfy the strictest international requirements concerning the issuing of documents and the organising of democratic elections. We have more than 10 years' experience in the implementation of sensitive projects for governments and supranational organisations. Our solutions are characterised by their reliability, combined with flexibility and operational capability. With this approach, citizens are secure in their ability to prove their identity and exercise their democratic rights. For more information, visit the website peopleid.zetes.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.