The Agency responsible for registering and authenticating documents launched an online power of attorney service at its four branches last month.

The Document Authentications & Registration Agency launched the service to enable users to register and request power of attorney and authentication of documents online without their physical presence, at its Qera, Jemo, Sidist Kilo and Gotera branches.

The service is an extension of the Agency's 5.3 million Br project to upgrade a system developed by Custor Computing Plc, a local company that installed most of the online services at the Agency. In June the Agency launched online document registration and authentication services at its nine branches. Last month, it added power of attorney online registration.

"We launched the services in phases," says Meresa G.Yohannes, director general of the Agency. "In the next six months, we'll put all our services online."

Power of attorney services are done in three forms: general, giving all the powers and rights to the second party; family, delegating family members; and lawyers, giving powers to a lawyer in representing before courts and other legal proceedings.

Customers fill out application forms online by logging onto the website and receive a registration number. This initiates the process at one of the four branches of the Agency, where for the final step customers appear in person for signature with or without witnesses, depending on the case.

“Forged documents and IDs are some of the challenges the Agency encounters,” said Alemeshet Meshesha, deputy communication director of the Agency, which was established in 1987 and currently operates with 715 staff members.

To fight such illegal activities, the United States Embassy has provided the staff with forensic training and donated forged document identifying devices, according to him.