Mali has officially transitioned the production of its biometric passports from French firm IDEMIA to the Chinese company EMPTECH (Shenzhen Emperor Technology Co., Ltd.).
This strategic move, which includes entrusting EMPTECH with the design and supply of the new AES e-passport, marks a significant milestone in Mali’s quest for digital sovereignty and administrative modernization.
The new AES e-passport is a modernized travel document designed to meet the latest international security standards.
This transition follows several years of collaboration between Mali and the French provider IDEMIA. That partnership became contentious in 2023 when Malian authorities accused the French company of refusing to transfer technical and biometric data from the national passport system. This dispute raised severe concerns about digital sovereignty and contributed to the partial postponement of the general elections initially scheduled for early 2024. The government subsequently initiated a process to regain national control over its identity document production chain.
EMPTECH, based in Shenzhen, China, specializes in digital security, smart cards, biometric enrollment systems, and secure passport design. The company, founded in 1995, claims a presence in over 60 countries and has notably supplied the e-passport system for Burkina Faso and identification solutions across various African and Asian nations.
The introduction of the AES passport in 2025 is a decisive step in Mali’s strategy to modernize travel documents and align them with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
To facilitate the switch, the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection announced on September 26, 2025, a temporary suspension of enrollment for technical reasons. Standard service was suspended on October 11, and premium service on October 16, with resumption scheduled for October 25, 2025, at the latest. According to Secretary General Oumar Sogoba, this brief suspension is necessary to “ensure technical improvements and even higher quality of service.”
Simultaneously, the government adopted a measure setting new, lower prices for the AES biometric passport: 45,000 CFA francs for the standard version and 90,000 CFA francs for on-site service. These adjustments are part of the transitional authorities’ policy to streamline and modernize administration while guaranteeing the security, reliability, and accessibility of the Malian passport.
The arrival of EMPTECH not only symbolizes the continued reform of the national identification system but also confirms the diversification of Mali’s strategic partnerships in the technological and security fields.
MD/ac/Sf/fss/abj/APA