Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has just invested millions of dollars in a new “global digital ID system” that seeks to replace all forms of traditional government-issued identification around the world.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funneled $10 million to the Modular Open-Source Identification Platform (MOSIP) and pledged to ensure that every member of the public around the world can “prove their identity.”
The huge investment from Gates will guarantee that MOSIP can meet its goal of creating a universal digital identification system.
The foundation, guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, has actively promoted the initiative of MOSIP to establish a national ID system. The foundation claims that, with 850 million people deprived of government services due to the lack of proof of identity, MOSIP’s initiative is a way to stimulate economic growth and advance the creation of digital public infrastructures.
MOSIP, launched in 2018, aims to address these concerns through accessibility and adaptability. Meaning to say, the digital ID system would be customized per country, depending on the needs of the people and the economy.
Eleven countries have led the way in the adoption of MOSIP, including Ethiopia, Morocco, and the Philippines, leading to the rapid distribution of over 90 million digital