malvernmugadzikwa
Tanyaradzwa Rusike
ZIMBABWE will soon roll out a cutting-edge border management system that uses high-tech computer systems to automate immigration processes without the need for physical human intervention at its major ports of entry and exit.
The Online Border Management System (OBMS) — a platform that streamlines immigration processes and enhances border security — uses a complex computer procedure to automate aspects of border control.
It removes the need for the physical presence of personnel at every point.
The system is modelled along the lines of Dubai’s trailblazing Smart Gates platform, which offers a fast and contactless way for eligible travellers to go through passport control at the Dubai International Airport.
Dubai’s system has automated self-service kiosks that utilise facial recognition technology to streamline the immigration process for passengers.
The Sunday Mail has gathered that plans are afoot to roll out the OBMS at facilities such as the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, the Beitbridge Border Post and the Victoria Falls International Airport.
The Government has already contracted Garsu Pasaulis, a Lithuanian company, to undertake the project.
Chief director immigration Ms Respect Gono said the OBMS will enhance coordination of all border agencies.
“This online border management system is going to be a robust and very integrated system,” she said.
“It is going to incorporate all stakeholders, like the police, Interpol, the Ministry of Tourism and the Civil Registry Department.
“The system will also usher in e-gates at ports of entry and exit, which will reduce face-to-face interference with immigration officers.”
e-gates, also known as automated border control systems, use biometric verification of fingerprints and iris scans, while passport scanners grant access to authorised travellers, replacing manual document checks by immigration officers.
Upon reaching an e-gate, one inserts one’s travel document (usually an e-passport) into a designated slot, which then scans the document’s chip and captures the traveller’s facial image or fingerprints.
The captured information is compared to the biometric data stored in immigration databases or the travel document.
If everything matches, the gate will open automatically, granting access to the country.
“We are already procuring materials for the system and we will firstly roll out at major border posts like Beitbridge, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Victoria Falls International Airport, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport, Plumtree, Nyamapanda and Forbes,” added Ms Gono.
“We are saying this is the future of immigration and we are going digital.
“Most countries in our region are already using the system and we don’t have to be left behind.”
She said the system, which will work with both old and e-passports, will effectively curb corruption at ports of entry.
“There will be no more corruption at border posts because there will be very limited human interference.
“It’s only you and the machine, which you can’t bribe.
“The system will also be very fast and efficient, hence there will be no long queues.”
The system, she added, will also allow travellers from SADC (Southern African Development Community) countries to enter the country without passports.
“Zimbabwe is one country that has started to declare a visa-free regime for the whole SADC region,” she continued.
“So, we are going to be using a plastic card with a chip inside that looks like an ID, which travellers will scan at ports of entry, and it is going to be differentiated by colour codes (depending on one’s type of visa).
“President Mnangagwa mentioned recently that we will be using IDs to travel between Botswana and Zimbabwe, and that is work in progress.”
As part of major reforms to the country’s immigration system, Zimbabwe will begin issuing e-visas and permits to immigrants.
“We are also going to have e-visas and permits, where people will apply from the comfort of their homes.
“So, as you walk into the country, the system will automatically start counting the number of days you were allocated.”
Speaking in Parliament recently, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the system will be rolled out progressively in 2024.
“It is just that when we were having the discussions about modernising our borders, we wanted to be the first country outside Dubai to have an unmanned border post, where you can walk in because now we have an e-passport with a chip in it.
“You can walk in and the gates open when your passport is read.
“You do not talk to anybody.
“We want that equipment here by the end of 2024.
“We have to be modern.
“That is what motivated us.
“It is the kind of thinking, to say we need resources to support the Ministry of Home Affairs, and we thought that increasing passports was one way to do this.”
PANEL
What are the benefits of an OBMS?
Enhanced security: Real-time monitoring and risk-based profiling detect and deter illegal activity and border breaches.
Improved efficiency: Automated processes reduce processing times, shorten queues and facilitate faster border crossings.
Reduced operational costs: Automating tasks can lead to cost savings through reduced personnel requirements and streamlined procedures.
Increased transparency and accountability: Data-driven systems offer greater transparency in border control processes.
Online Reporter