The development of any well-functioning information society begins with the establishment of a secure digital identity infrastructure. As the critical starting point for further digitalisation – in areas ranging from e-governance to e-trade – a functional digital identification system paves the way for sustainable economic growth and the provision of high-quality, accessible public services for citizens.

When we partnered up with the Republic of Azerbaijan to support their digitalisation efforts, achieving this first goal became our primary mission. In 2014, we launched Azerbaijan’s Mobile ID – Asan Imza – laying the fundamental cornerstone of the country’s upcoming digitalisation endeavours. We have remained one of Azerbaijan’s primary partners, helping develop and connect further e-services to the Mobile ID ecosystem fostering social and technological inclusion.

Mobile ID works like any physical identification method, such as a passport or ID card. It can be used to access e-services, confirm transactions or to sign e-documents. Because a SIM-card based Mobile ID does not require internet connection, it enables building e-services that are accessible for everyone, making it especially ideal for developing regions. To illustrate the inclusion of rural areas, as of current, the Mobile ID system is connected to several services based on a verbal solution (e.g., tax declarations), which has seen widespread adoption in areas with lower literacy rates.

https://asanimza.az/en/

• Azerbaijan

• Older persons
• Remote and rural communities

As mobile phones are the most common devices across continents, it is smart and simple to introduce Mobile ID. As one of the most accessible forms of digital identification, the Mobile ID can be implemented in any country, building a strong foundation that is open for future developments. Despite this, our approach is by no means to provide a cookie-cutter solution. Rather, we take into account local conditions and capacities for a tailored service.

Mobile ID reduces the dependency on the internet, thus providing high level sustainability for all countries. It saves money for the government and for the people. The SIM-card based Mobile ID solution does not need internet connection and works in all types of network systems – from 2G to any type of mobile phone. The solution allows to build e-services that are accessible for everyone and seeks to gradually bridge existing digital divides.

We recognise the crucial importance of taking into consideration local context and conditions as well as the responsibility that comes with building the Information Society. One of our guiding principles when building Azerbaijan’s Mobile ID was to factor in accessibility and inclusion in all aspects of the project. The Asan Imza Mobile ID solution therefore promotes WSIS values by: • Constituting a secure digital identity infrastructure, which is the critical foundation for developing further e-services and fostering connectivity • Supporting widespread adoption by being accessible through any mobile network • Connecting citizen-focused e-services to the ID infrastructure, including a number of verbal solutions to help build a people-centred Information Society • Being developed based on a public-private partnership (PPP) model, which entailed cooperation among all relevant stakeholders. The implementation of Mobile ID has been an ongoing process, which has become connected to the integration of further digital services. Throughout this time, the project has also entailed many capacity-building initiatives to support skills development among Azerbaijan’s public and private sector and the population at large. For example, B.EST Solutions initiates and supports social projects involving ICT for reaching sustainable development goals. The company frequently participates in social activities, such as mentorship programs and is involved in sponsorship of ICT oriented conferences, workshops and events among the youth in rural areas. Through this, we seek to make sure that an increasingly greater part of the population will benefit from and keep pace with the wider digital development happening in the country.