Quito, November 21 (NNN-EFE-RHC)-- Latin America has become the largest growing market for biometric technology used for identifying people and is increasingly being adopted by the region's governments, said biometric expert Sergio Valdez.

The experts, who is participating in the Second International Security Meeting, EISCE, which began Wednesday in Quito, pointed out that studies revealed the global biometric market will be worth around $10 billion annually between 2030 and 2035.

Biometric technology is used in the field of security to identify people from physical characteristics such as a fingerprint, iris or facial features, or from behavioral ones such as the voice, signature and gait.

Ecuadorian and international experts are sharing information on public policy in the field of comprehensive security. According to Valdez, who spoke on the first day of the meeting, between 50 and 60 percent of the region's inhabitants could be registered in the next four to five years by biometric systems.

He also highlighted the importance of such procedures in the management of information security and that of personal data which, he added, "is not just about getting information about citizens" but also about how to ensure "that the data is only used for what it has to be used for".

This is a matter of concern for many governments especially following leaks about international spy networks by WikiLeaks and the revelations of former U.S. National Security Agency analyst Edward Snowden.

According to Valdez, most Latin American countries are making efforts for the promotion of security even as information exchange is on the rise to secure borders, track criminals and for other purposes.