Sandbondtenga: The governor of the Koulse region, Colonel-Major Blaise Ouedraogo, officially launched the establishment of the Burkinabe biometric identity card of the AES area (CIB-AES) in the region on Monday, at the regional branch of the National Identification Office (ONI) in Kaya.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the ceremony was highlighted by a guided tour of the facilities, conducted by the station chief Mamoudou Dicko, which allowed administrative, military, and paramilitary authorities to observe the production process of the new identity document. The launch event included the enrollment of applicants through several necessary steps such as document verification, personal data registration, and photographic capture, fingerprinting, and receipt printing.

The governor commended the staff for their efficiency, expressing satisfaction with the service’s capability to issue the card within 12 to 24 hours, a timeline that he noted would “greatly relieve citizens.” The head of the branch outlined the requirements for obtaining the CIB-AES, including the presentation of a birth certificate or supplementary judgment for nationals, and a certificate of nationality for individuals born abroad, along with other supporting documents like the CNIB, a document verifying the profession, and a marriage certificate for those adopting their spouse’s name.

The card is priced at 3,500 FCFA, and as stated by the branch manager, the significant innovation is the expansion of the age range of applicants. The AES bank card is obligatory from age 13 and available to children starting from age 5. Authorities are urging the public to actively engage in acquiring this card, which has become crucial for travel, banking transactions, and various administrative processes.