Gemalto’s secure personal device, the size of a credit card, will be the official ID document for Yemen citizens above 16. It stores personal credentials such as name, address, digital photograph and fingerprints. In the future, the Yemen national ID card might also integrate e-government applications as the government wishes to leverage this technology to simplify its relationship with the population. In addition the new electronic ID document has been designed to ensure compatibility with e-government standards developed by the Gulf Cooperation Council neighbouring countries. „“This new electronic ID card illustrates the Yemen government’s wish to modernize the country’s election process while enabling Yemeni citizens to benefit from a secure and convenient identification means,““, comments Jacques Seneca, Executive Vice President in charge of the Security business unit for Gemalto. „“The growing need for governments to effectively authenticate citizens for more efficient services, combined with the increasing concerns of ID theft and fraud, has influenced technologically proactive governments in Austria, Belgium, China, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Morocco, Oman, Portugal, Qatar, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, UAE and many more to convert to smart-card based ID solutions. We are very pleased that now Yemen is joining these leading nations““. emmanuelle.saby@gemalto.com www.gemalto.com