IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The Libyan government has launched ‘‘Hakomitna’’ (our government), an interactive electronic platform for communication between the government and the entire Libyan people.

The platform was launched Minister of State for Communication and Political Affairs, Walid Al-Lafi, which he said was a pioneering experiment to bring citizens closer to, and interact with, the government’s political, economic, service and humanitarian activities.

GPC President Mark Sorensen was invited to address the assembly of nearly 300 persons to introduce the audience to geographic information system (GIS) and spatial data infrastructure (SDI) concepts and practices internationally, and to relay the experience of the Libya Spatial Data Infrastructure (LSDI) program initiated in 2005.

The ultimate goal of the e-government is to be able to offer an increased portfolio of public services to citizens in an efficient and cost effective way and the main advantage while implementing electronic government will be to improve the efficiency of the current system (Paper based system). That would in return save money and time.

The minister stated that “The Libyan ICT sector poses several opportunities as well as challenges that can potentially result in significant economic growth, job creation, and transformation of government services, among other possible impacts.”

Libya approached ITU seeking to establish world-class ICT facilities in the country.

Heading the Libyan delegation, Deputy Minister for Communications and Informatics Mr Mohamad Benrasali asked for ITU’s support in preparing a master plan to modernize ICT infrastructure in Libya to “not only world class level, but to world-leading standards.” He said, “The Libyan ICT sector poses several opportunities as well as challenges that can potentially result in significant economic growth, job creation, and transformation of government services, among other possible impacts.”

Libya’s Ministry of Finance is in the process of launching a digital transformation project to manage financial and governmental data and information. The revelation was made by the Tripoli-based Finance Minister Khaled Al-Mabrouk

The Minister also said that his government will establish a unified treasury account, and electronic payment and collection for the ministry and its affiliates such as the Tax Authority and the Customs Authority.

Berlin-based German company, Bundesdruckerei GmbH (the Federal Printers) who are printing the new Libyan biometric passports, said that the first biometric passport should be issued in the last week of July if all sides keep to the agreed timelines.

The Al-Bunya Investments and Services Company, a subsidiary of the state LPTIC Holding Company held an exhibition last Wednesday at Tripoli Fairgrounds to present the initial architectural designs for the Smart City project for communications and information.

Smart cities in Tripoli and Benghazi

The exhibition, the state news agency LANA reported, included a presentation of proposed models for preliminary designs submitted by several companies participating in a bid, the submissions will be presented to a selection committee to choose the best proposal for the projects for Tripoli and Benghazi. The winning proposals will then go on to enter the implementation phase.

What’s puzzling in the announcement is the fact that the current government did not take into account all the flaws that marred these projects, specifically the NID Project, nor did it do a proper analysis or study of them. Most advanced countries do not have an NID system but rather a Social Number that is only relevant to the Tax and Social Services. Contrary to international standards in the field, Libya is still insisting on continuing a project that was based on a security-phobic regime and not concerned in facilitating services to its citizens.

Today, Mr. Mufti is a telecoms adviser to the interim government and heads the e-Libya initiative, a bold plan to use the transformative powers of technology to modernize the Libyan state, overturning 40 years of corruption and misrule under Gadhafi.