Taiwanese Ambassador to Somaliland, Allen Lou, recently announced that the iris biometric devices donated by Taiwan in 2021 will once again play a critical role in the electoral process.
These devices, initially provided to assist in parliamentary and local government elections, will be deployed in six cities across Somaliland as part of efforts to enhance transparency and voter verification.
The original donation comprised 2,500 iris biometric voter verification devices, were valued at approximately $2 million. The technology, developed by Iris ID in collaboration with South African integrator Neametrics Africa, has been field-tested by Somaliland’s National Election Commission (NEC).
With the backing of an additional $2 million from Taiwan aimed at facilitating the upcoming elections, Lou emphasized the importance of strong democratic principles and accountability in Somaliland’s political landscape.
“Somaliland stands as a beacon of democracy in East Africa,” Lou stated, commending the region’s commitment to free and fair elections. Indeed, Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1999 and has consistently conducted credible elections to assert its identity on the global stage, even in the absence of formal United Nations recognition.
