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Stakeholder country consultations are currently underway within the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), focusing on various initiatives to enhance regional integration and improve citizens’ overall wellbeing. One notable initiative on the table is the establishment of an OECS ID, a digital identification system leveraging biometrics to consolidate information from different government-issued IDs into a personalized ID number for each citizen.

The proposed OECS ID aims to alleviate travel barriers within the sub-region, aligning with the 2011 decision by OECS heads of state and government. This decision aimed to enable hassle-free travel by allowing citizens to move within the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union (ECEU) with a valid government-issued picture ID, such as a driver’s license, national identification card, or voter card.

The ongoing country consultations, led by the OECS Commission, are exploring the potential benefits of such an ID system, with a focus on promoting national action for the full implementation of free movement of persons within the region. The leaders anticipate that a seamless travel regime will not only simplify travel but also enhance labor migration, social security benefits portability, education and healthcare access, social development, intra-regional transportation, trade, border security, and digital services. Regional leaders view this initiative as a critical step towards fostering economic and social integration within the OECS, aligning with similar efforts globally, such as the ECOWAS National Biometric ID Card (ENBIC) in West Africa.