Amman, December 2015 – OFFTEC – a subsidiary of OFFTEC Holding Group (OHG) – and Gemalto – the world leader in digital security – have been selected by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT) and the Ministry of Interior for Jordan’s ambitious new citizen ID program. A signing ceremony took place in the presence of all relevant stakeholders, including the Prime Minister, H.E. Abdullah Ensour, Minister of Interior, H.E. Salameh Hammad, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications, H.E. Dr. Mohammad Al Momani, Minister of MoICT, H.E. Majd Shweikeh, Civil Status and Passports Department Director General, Marwan Qteishat, Director General of Gemalto Middle East, Hisham Surakhi, and General Manager of OFFTEC IT Solutions, Moyed Haddadin, among others.

As part of the Gemalto-OFFTEC joint venture, OFFTEC will provide a range of its innovative products and services. These include: IT infrastructure, physical security solutions, networking and IT security, system integration, card printers, training and technical support services.

Additionally, Gemalto will supply the Ministry of Interior (MOI) with its Sealys polycarbonate contactless eID cards along with a comprehensive suite of Coesys enrollment, card personalization and issuance solutions. Gemalto will deliver the eID cards, as well as automatic fingerprint identification systems (AFIS) to reinforce national security, strengthen immigration controls and minimize the risk of fraud in the next elections.

The enrollment system will be deployed in 100 civil status and passport offices, enabling MOI staff to capture the personal and biometric data of citizens for duplication-free entry onto the National Registry. Gemalto systems will also be employed to personalize and issue smart cards at 25 dedicated centers. The citizen’s details are both laser-engraved in the card and stored within its embedded microprocessor to enable officials to verify beyond doubt the identity of the holder.

The new eIDs combine state-of-the-art digital and graphical security features and offer the Government of Jordan the ability to seamlessly add new card applications after issuance. As a result, it can leverage on the initial investment and develop new secure eGov services and applications that improve service standards and reduce administrative costs.

On her part, H.E. Majd Shweikeh commented, “For Jordan, improving security, slashing ID fraud and creating a trusted infrastructure for online access are all high priorities on the agenda. The new national eID card will enhance the necessary infrastructure for e-signatures, as well as for the addition of e-services to the card once they are ready at government institutions.”

“The new citizen ID program is a strategic move forward for Jordan and is regarded as a high impact, high visibility, game-changing endeavor that will reap great benefits in terms of accessing the services extended by the government. In light of OFFTEC’s pedigree in implementing country-wide, ground-breaking projects, we’re confident that we have the specific expertise needed to deliver a project of this scale successfully and on time. This is further bolstered by OFFTEC’s record in delivering top-notch products and services through its partnerships with multiple, internationally-acclaimed brands,” stated OHG CEO, Basim Said.

In turn, Frédéric Trojani, Executive Vice President for Government Programs at Gemalto, said, “Gemalto has the resources necessary to deliver a turnkey solution, along with millions of eID documents, to a tight lead time. As well as affording greater protection to its citizens, Jordan’s adoption of this smart government platform promises a new era for the eTransformation of the country.”