The World Bank (WB) announced Wednesday that it will donate $150 million to Mozambique's Digital Economy and Governance Project (EDGE). The purpose is to facilitate access "to civil identification, digital public services and improve digital business opportunities".

The WB underpins this support by the fact that more than half of the population (60%) is not yet officially registered, i.e. has no identity card.

The WB Director in Mozambique, Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough, quoted in the press release, says that the lack of registration of the population subjects them to "disenfranchisement, no formal jobs, no ability to claim rights and property transactions," which mainly affect women.

The EDGE project includes investment and technical assistance activities and is structured to create "institutional capacity and government connectivity".

Further objectives include facilitating "access to legal identification and service development" and supporting digital growth in the private sector.

Senior public sector specialist and project leader Tiafo Peixoto noted that "the project will support the development of Mozambique's digital business ecosystem in order to take advantage of the business opportunities that digitization efforts will create."

For her part, Eva Miranda, private sector expert and co-leader of the project, revealed that, at the same time, "local small and medium digital enterprises will be promoted, as well as 'startups' that have the potential to stimulate job creation.