Leading central banks and security printing companies were recognised for excellence in currency and identity document design during the High Security Printing (HSP) EMEA 2026 conference held in Rabat, Morocco. The annual Regional Banknote and ID Document of the Year Awards celebrated innovation, security advancements, and aesthetic excellence in banknotes, passports, ID cards, and secure document technologies.
The Central Bank of Libya received the award for Best New Banknote for its new polymer 20 Libyan dinar note, issued as part of a broader programme to convert the 2013 banknote series to polymer substrate. The note, printed by De La Rue on SAFEGUARD® polymer, incorporates advanced security features including Enhanced GEMINI™ microtext, a holographic registered stripe with SPOTLIGHT™, PUREIMAGE™, and DEPTH™, dual clear windows, and SICPA’s SPARK® ink featuring the star and crescent design. The banknote carries a portrait of national hero Omar Al-Mukhtar, alongside an image of Al-Atiq Mosque in Awjila on the front and a school in Ghadames on the reverse.
In the Best New Series category, awards were jointly presented to the Bank of Namibia for its redesigned Namibian Dollar series and the Bank of Zambia for its new “Heritage Series” Kwacha. Namibia’s third-generation series combines modern aesthetics with enhanced tactile features for the visually impaired and upgraded security threads. Zambia’s new six-note series highlights national wildlife and introduces higher denominations to improve transaction efficiency, incorporating advanced security features such as Galaxy® threads, SPARK® inks, and durable Durasafe substrates.
Bank Al-Maghrib received the award for Best New Commemorative Banknote for its 100 dirham note marking the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The commemorative polymer note features a portrait of King Mohammed VI, the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, a Galaxy® colour-shifting security thread, SPARK Openform and SPARK Flow elements, and tactile features to support accessibility.
A new category, Best New Process or Technology (Currency), was awarded to Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions (KBBS) for its Nota-Live™ 3D simulation software, which enables real-time visualisation of security features before production. In the ID sector, Estonia won Best New National ID Card, Liechtenstein received Best New Passport, Georgia won Best New Document Series, and the Netherlands Vehicle Authority was recognised for Best New Travel Document. TOPPAN Security won the newly introduced Best New Process or Technology (ID) award for its CHROMA colour laser engraving technology, enabling high-definition embedded colour portraits in polycarbonate documents.
