Minister Tanangada welcomes Australian-funded Border Management System (BMS)

Minister Tanangada welcomes Australian-funded Border Management System (BMS)

 

The Minister for Police, National Security and Correctional Services, Hon. Jimson Tanangada has welcomed the new Australian-funded Border Management System for Solomon Islands – saying the system is an important agenda for any State as this defines its sovereignty and integrity.

The Australian Government funded the new system following a request from the Solomon Islands Government.

The establishment of BMS was a result of extensive work between government agencies of Australia, Papua New Guinea Government and Solomon Islands. It was also a result of continued collaboration between border experts and Australian Border Force (ABF) guidance.

The Papua New Guinea Government through the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority supported the project by customizing the infrastructure system to suit the Solomon Islands Border management system.

Australia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands share common regional security values under the Pacific Immigration Community, including many Pacific security architectures.

“Our vision to strengthen regional border security management for safe and secured migration in the Pacific, is an ambition that we must strive to achieve together. What we are witnessing is a true testament of how meaningful partnership in security can provide effective and efficient outcomes,” Tanangada said Tuesday this week.

Solomon Islands has a National Border Strategy that calls for enforcement of collective efforts, enhanced practices and strengthening of Border Management Systems. The BMS is administered by the Immigration Department to ensure Solomon Islands borders remain safe and secure.

Tanangada said borders are points of entry for opportunities in terms of economic benefits and he believed the BMS will not only deter illegal activities but also provide the enabling environment for economic progress.

“It is my hope that as we improve on aspects of this country’s border systems, other areas of border enforcement will see opportunities to align their programs for improved border managements with this BMS,” he said.

The handing over event marks the realization of the Solomon Islands Government’s continuous security partnership with Australia through the ongoing cooperation with the Australian Border Force.

The BMS enables Immigration to support Police, Customs and other law enforcement agencies to manage movement of people across national borders.

“The border management system is highly valued, as it will become a tool providing solutions to many of our security challenges. It will specifically address our many unanswered security domain challenges in the region,” the Minister said.

The system helps to better monitor and manage the country’s borders against irregular migration, drugs smuggling, human trafficking, people smuggling, transnational organized crime, and the changing security landscape.

It will further strengthen the support amongst national security partners such as, the Law Enforcements and RSIPF. The system will provide robust technological border functions as solutions to make Immigration more visible and accessible nationally and abroad at our overseas Missions.

The Government is anticipating tangible and positive changes to increase trade, revenue, labour and Immigration border reforms.  We hope to streamline investment processes, migration, labour and facilitation of trade processes easing times to conduct businesses in Solomon Islands.

This BMS is anticipated to bring a new visa regime that is scheduled to go live with our online visa system towards the end of 2024 or beginning of 2025.

This reform will further help Immigration and Enforcement Officers make informed decisions electronically, creating opportunities to boost tourism and hospitability services, whilst keeping our borders safe.

ENDS///