The work of the workshop “Use of Biometrics and Traveler Information to Enhance Border Security" started at the Police Academy in Cairo, organized by Naif Arab University for Security Sciences as part of its annual work program for the year 2021, from 27 to 29 July 2021, in cooperation with the Police Academy in Egypt, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office.
The Assistant Minister of Interior of the Republic of Egypt attended the workshop. The President of the Police Academy, Major General Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Vice President of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences for External Relations Dr. Khaled Alharfash also participated in person. The Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office Dr. Jehangir Khan, and the first regional advisor for The Middle East and North Africa of the International Organization for Migration Mr.Othman Belbeisi participated virtually. Specialists from relevant institutions from 8 Arab countries - the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Republic of Tunisia, the Republic of Sudan, the United Republic of the Comoros, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Yemen - also attend the workshop.
The Egyptian Assistant Minister of Interior stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between Arab countries in coordination with Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, which is one of the most important Arab academic institutions, looking forward to the workshop producing results that achieve its goals.
For his part, Dr. Khaled Alharfash explained that the organization of the workshop, which attracted a distinguished academic body from around the world, stems from the mission and objectives of the university, through which it seeks to exchange experiences, transfer information, refine skills, and develop the capabilities of employees of the various Arab security services, as part of the international efforts aimed at strengthening the international legal framework for traveler information and name records.
For his part, the Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office addressed the efforts of the Office at the international level, including the United Nations Travel Counter-Terrorism Program, a leading global initiative for Member States in the legislative and operational fields, and the participation of industry Transfer to provide them with a guideline for creating, developing, and managing effective counter-terrorism database watch lists.
The Senior Regional Adviser for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Organization for Migration reviewed the efforts of the organization in the areas of safe, orderly, and regular human mobility that benefit migrants, countries, and societies together, as it does so as a United Nations organization and as support for international frameworks in this regard, including the Global Compact on Migration and the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.
He also explained that the organization prioritizes strengthening the border management capabilities of member countries and partners as part of strengthening migration governance, as the exchange of passenger data has become a vital component of capacity-building efforts undertaken by the International Organization for Migration for its member states in the context of facilitating safe human movement across borders while maintaining border security.
The implementation of the Advanced Passenger Information System and Passenger Name Record System is part of the integrated and harmonized approach to border management in which IOM assists governments in supporting relevant UN Security Council resolutions in 2014, 2017 and 2019, as well as the standards and practices recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The workshop will also discuss a number of scientific papers in the framework of a number of themes, most notably an overview of passenger data (API - PNR), a review of watch lists, the international legal framework for passenger information and passenger name records, a review of Arab and international experiences with regard to advance traveler information, and the main considerations for developing a programming the existing national (API) in line with international standards and relevant privacy legislation and human rights principles, and ways to protect passenger data and privacy in line with political considerations and standards, in addition to discussing the latest developments, practices and modern technologies in border control.
It is noteworthy that the workshop aims to exchange experiences between Arab security services and international organizations to combat common challenges in the field of epidemics and air transport, and to strengthen the necessary security procedures and requirements and border control mechanisms by using biometrics and traveler information at ports and free zones, and to learn about legal frameworks and international standards in the field of border security.