Mohammed Bin Rashid visits EIA stand at GITEX 2005

Their Highnesses received commemorative plaques picturing a master plan for the national identity program in recognition for their long-standing efforts and support for the Population Register and Naitonal ID Card projects.

Dr. Saeed Bin Rakan Al Dhaheri, Director General of EIA said, "We are extremely proud to have received this visit, which underlines the commitment of our wise leadership to adopt initiatives that help drive the path of progress and prosperity in the UAE. This provides the requirements for success and sustainability, all of which help boost our determination to have an excellent and pioneering role in all projects we implement."

"The confidence we have been granted will help us translate the visions and concepts of EIA into reality through the development of a secure and unified population register and identity recognition system that upholds individuality, supports the distribution of government resources and planning, leverages economic growth and guarantees a pioneering place for the UAE among technologically developed countries," he added.

Commenting on the EIA participation at GITEX 2005, Al Dhaheri stated the participation is in line with the EIA's strategy of defining its goals and spreading awareness amongst the public about the Population Register and National Identity Card projects. He noted that visitors to GITEX visitors will be the first ever to witness the state of the art technologies used in the ID Card program, the newest and largest project of its kind to be implemented in the Middle East.

Al Dhaheri also explained that EIA staff at the stand will be able to discuss development of the proposed 14 registration centers that will be placed throughout the country to register citizens and residents for the ID Card. The EIA stand will also demonstrate devices used as part of the registration process. One of these is the digital fingerprint technology developed by the French security company, Sagem, for inclusion on the identity card.

"We have participated in GITEX for three consecutive years, but this year marks the occasion for EIA to have its own stand aside from the Ministry of the Interior. We are now recognized as the sole government body charged with implementing and managing the Population Register and National Identity Card projects," he said.