Cuba boosts e-government with the expansion of digital signatures

Havana, March 2 (RHC)-- A provision of Cuba's Council of Ministers in force since Wednesday accelerates the introduction of digital signatures in the state, government, and financial entities and agencies.

Agreement 9266 of 2022 of this body establishes that before April 30 of this year, the digital signature mechanism will have to be used in the bodies, agencies of the Central Administration of the State, the Central Bank of Cuba, all national entities, and local bodies of the People's Power.

The text establishes that the Ministry of the Interior will issue in March the regulations for its implementation, and the Ministry of Communications will be in charge of its enforcement.

According to the document, the introduction of the digital signature within the financial and governmental institutions is needed to achieve greater efficiency of the public administration management within the framework of the Digital Government.

Based on the quality, systematicity, and promptness of this experience, assessments will be made for its subsequent generalization to the citizenry.

Since 2018, Cuba has recognized the validity of documents in digital format signed electronically using digital certificates of the National Public Key Infrastructure.

Since 2016, the Ministry of the Interior established the Public Key Infrastructure in the interest of cryptographic protection of official information of the Republic of Cuba and approved the regulations on its operation.

In October last year and on an experimental basis, the first digital signature certificates were issued to workers affiliated with the Tax Administration Office and eFirma, an application that facilitates users to use credentials through their cell phones was launched.

A digital signature is a cryptographic mechanism that enables the receiver of a digitally signed message to identify the issuing entity of such text and confirm that it has not been altered since the originator signed it.