Transformation of borders in Dubai through smart technologies

Technology

Transformation of borders in Dubai through smart technologies

Dubai, UAE, March 12, 2015: Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Deputy Director General of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai), has called for more efficient and quicker systems for border control procedures taking into account the rising volume of passengers at Dubais two international airports. Speaking about transformation of borders in Dubai through smart technologies at the Future of Borders International Conference organized by GDRFA-D, he said the airport counters were found to be crowded in peak hours despite the implementation of several impressive developments, thereby necessitating the need to think of other solutions.

He remarked: We will not only have more e-gates, but more efficient, quicker systems and should develop systems to analyse information more efficiently and enhance security at borders. We should have information network with partners to exchange information and communication.
Major General Obaid also presented before a packed audience the evolution of civil aviation in Dubai, right from 1937 when civil aviation operations started, to the present status of being the home of the worlds largest airport for international travellers. He also gave a detailed account of the technological advancements at the GDRFA-Dubai, from e-gates to the third generation smart gates.

In a span of 14 years, passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport has increased from 12 million in 2000 to 70.4 million last year. Similarly, the number of smart gates increased from just three in 2003 to 120 last year and e-gates to 20. The number of passport control counters rose to 67. Also, the number of employees rose from 400 in 2000 to 1,714 last year. He underscored the need for imparting high quality training to achieve Dubais vision and expand the talent pool with more competent employees. The official said: We have to enhance work with partners, strategic partners from both the public and private sector. The quality of data should be improved to roll out extensive services to both business and leisure passengers.
Later, participating in a panel discussion on Future of Border Management, he stressed the need to analyze Big Data to enhance facilities. We should think differently. E-gate is a solution now, but after 10-15 years, it will not be the solution. Pre-clearance of passengers will have to be increasingly used, he said.

Eric Chan Kwok-Ki, Hong Kongs Director of Immigration, said Hong Kong, which is expected to receive 70 million visitors in 2017, is planning to have a total of over 600 multi-purpose e-Gates by 2016 and convert all existing e-Gates to multi-purpose ones.

Hong Kong will convert all existing e-Gates to multi-purpose ones, which can serve both its residents and visitors. It plans to have a total of over 600 multi-purpose e-Gates by 2016.Hong Kong,which has a liberal visa regime for people of 170 countries or regions, processed 290 million incoming and outgoing passengers last year. The number of visitors coming to Hong Kong in 2017 would exceed 70 million. Despite the hectic growth in passenger traffic, the authorities have been able to clear 95 per cent of visitors arriving through the airport within 15 minutes, and 95 per cent of visitors arriving through land and sea checkpoints within 30 minutes.

Teresa Hardy, Head of Carrier Delivery at the UK Border Force, disclosed that the UKs current API coverage totals 178 million annualised passenger and crew movements, and includes 165 aviation and maritime carriers across 6795 routes. The Passenger Name Record (PNR) coverage currently stands at 31 million across 45 carriers and 394 routes.

She said: The UK is required to balance its obligation to ensure the security of the UK with that of facilitating the entry and exit of legitimate travellers. Advance data is important to new legislative initiatives that are being urgently progressed to better protect aviation security and to safeguard national security. Carriers are our critical partners and collaborative working with them and their system providers is essential to successful implementation of the UKs advance data programmes. By 2020, the Home Office needs to be a very different organisation. Our aim this year is consistent competence. This is first and foremost about delivering for the public: meeting our commitments and getting things right first time; taking responsibility for what we do, speaking up where we see things that need to be improved, she remarked.

John Moorhouse, Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa at the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, disclosed that the newly-established Australian Border Force (ABF) will commence operations from July 1. The Australia government, he said, has been dealing with the challenges of border management by creating a single agency to manage borders. In the year ended June 2014, there were 32.6 million crossings of Australia's international borders -1.4 crossing per Australian- compared with 18.6 million crossings 10 years ago. Just under half of the total movements in 2013-14 were departures from Australia -16.28 million. The official said: The government has made it clear that effective border management should have the right infrastructure, the right processes and the right partnerships in place to ensure that we support legitimate trade and travel by ensuring a stable, secure border. By having responsibility for both facilitation and security in the same organisation, we hope to continue to maintain an innovative yet balanced approach. Lieutenant General Dr.J.A.J Leitjens, Commander of Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, spoke about the border and immigration control measures and how various initiatives and projects have been helping the authorities to make travel experiences seamless and smooth.

John P Wagner, Deputy Assistant Commissioner at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), listed out the policies and programmes undertaken by the agency in the US and outside in the border and immigration control domain. He provided insights into the preclearances initiative under which Abu Dhabis and Dublins Shannon airports have covered to facilitate faster and smoother facilitation for travellers going to the US.