Ethiopia successfully hosted the ID4Africa 2025 Annual General Assembly this week, a four-day event that brought together leaders, experts, and organizations from across the globe to discuss the critical development of digital identity in Africa. The assembly served as a significant platform for Ethiopia to both showcase its progress and gain valuable insights from other nations.
Yodahe Araya Selassie, Director General of Ethiopia's National Identification Program, highlighted that the conference was more than just a gathering; it was "a profound platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience." Ethiopia shared its advancements in digital identity with other participating countries, while also "gaining a lot of experience" from their diverse approaches.
A key takeaway from the discussions was the common understanding that for a country to truly achieve accessible digital identification, it generally needs to reach 90% completion of its rollout. Yodahe acknowledged that "as a country, much is still expected of us" in this regard, signaling continued dedication to expanding digital identity access. He also extended gratitude to all the individuals and teams who contributed to the success of the assembly.
Throughout the assembly, in-depth discussions centered on how to ensure every individual in Africa can easily access a digital identity. Participants also delved into crucial topics such as cross-border identification, enhanced document security, and fostering inclusive digital journeys. Attendees collectively emphasized the urgent need to accelerate accessibility and trust in digital identity systems across the continent. They called for stronger collaboration, the implementation of people-centric policies, and the advancement of technological innovations.
Looking ahead, Côte d'Ivoire was selected during the General Assembly to host the ID4Africa 2026 Annual General Assembly, continuing the momentum for digital identity transformation across Africa.