Malawi leader launches Integrated Border Control System
President Joyce Banda on Tuesday launched the new Integrated Border Control System at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre on her way to Harare, Zimbabwe.
The system which aims at computerising all border posts of Malawi has been introduced at the Immigration Department, has been running for two weeks on trial basis.
Malawi Immigration Public Relation Officer, Martha Gonondo said they took advantage of the President’s trip to officially launch the system.
“Installing the system is a project in which we are computerising all the border posts of Malawi and the first phase involves Chileka and Kamuzu International Airports.
“We took advantage of the president’s trip so that she should appreciate how the system is working,” said Gonondo.
She added that after the two stations, which are busy border points; districts of Mwanza and Mchinji would have the system installed subject to the availability of funds.
Without mentioning how much money will be used and timeframe it will take.
The spokesperson further added that there will be servers at the posts as well as the head office that all the activities at the borders will be accessed as well.
The installation of the system which she said is being undertaken by the same consultants engaged in the passport system, will exclude Songwe border as it is already computerised, courtesy of the Tanzanian counterparts but will be linked when the system is fully operational.
The new system which is in the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standard according to Gonondo will be able to display a traveller’s information and authenticity of passports of all countries.
She said, “What is happening now is that anyone travelling in or out of Malawi is being mandated to give biometrics, but by the next time they travel their information will be displayed upon scanning of passport after verifying with scanning of the fingerprints as well.
“The system will be able to detect fake passports of all countries because it is of ICAO standard followed worldwide.”
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