15 October 2021, Bishoftu - Ethiopia: The IGAD Security Sector Program (IGAD SSP) has successfully concluded a five-day national workshop on Integrated Border Management for the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The purpose of the workshop was to enhance the capacity of senior government officials in border security and management and promote inter-agency, intra-agency and regional as well as international coordination and cooperation to effectively prevent and interdict the entry or transit of suspected terrorists, foreign terrorist fighters and such other transnational criminals.
Participants included thirty-three senior officials represented by the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Immigration, National and Vital Events Agency (INVEA), Federal Police, Customs Authority and Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority.
The workshop was faciliated by local experts and partitioners, and in collaboration with United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) - Border Security and Management (BSM) Unit, CT-Travel Section, and the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT). The following are some of topics covered during the event:
- Concepts on border management and border security management (BSM) in African context
- Transnational security threats and BSM in the context of the IGAD region
- The role of border communities in BSM
- Good Practices on the Use of Technologies to Prevent and Counter Terrorism at Borders: biometrics and terrorist watchlists
- The responsible use of biometrics in national ID in the context of border security
- One-Stop Border Post (OSBP) concept – the case of Ethiopia-Kenya experience
- Overview of Passenger Data (API and PNR); Challenges to Implementation; Support provided by the CT Travel Programme
- Preventing and countering terrorism and serious/organized crimes with the [UN] goTravel Solution
- Human Rights and Screening Procedures at International Borders: detecting terrorist movement through a comprehensive rights-based approach
Opening and closing remarks were delivered by Commander Abebe Muluneh, Director of IGAD Security Sector Program. The director noted that “. . . border communities in the IGAD region may not differ much from one country to another with each other than with the nations to which they belong.” Hence, he urged IGAD Member States, including Ethiopia, to empower border communities as key actors towards effective border management and promote inter and intra-agency, as well as regional and international coordination and collaboration.
One of the objectives of the IGAD Security Sector Program is enhancing institutional and human capacities of Member States to effectively address emerging, evolving, and existing transnational security threats (EEE-TSTs) in order to contribute to regional peace and stability, and foster enabling environment for regional integration and development of the sub-region.
The training was conducted with the financial support of the Republic of Korea. (END)