Ethiopia Adopts Integrated Airport and Border Security Management System
According to the Ambassador Redwan, the Integrated Airport and Border Management Transformation Program will play a significant role in identifying and preventing national security threats through intelligence-led operations.
Ethiopia is to firmly establish its geostrategic standing and influence in the Horn of Africa, adopting an integrated border and airport security management system is not an optional but is an essential, Ambassador Redwan Hussein, DDG of NISS remarked.
Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) and Chairperson of the Steering Committee for the Airport and Border Management Transformation Program, Ambassador Redwan Hussein stated during the consultation and stakeholder input collection workshop for the integrated airport and border management transformation program held today.
The roadmap prepared for the Airport and Border Management Transformation Program will enable all relevant national stakeholders to implement coordinated actions. The program aims at strengthening institutional cooperation and addressing practical security challenges, build Ethiopia’s capacity to compete more effectively on the international stage.
According to the Ambassador Redwan, the Integrated Airport and Border Management Transformation Program will play a significant role in identifying and preventing national security threats through intelligence-led operations. Furthermore, the program will also strengthen information sharing among institutions, enabling joint efforts to combat terrorism, cross-border crimes, and the illegal trafficking of people, money, and weapons, Ambassador Redwan, indicated.
The ambassador emphasized that Ethiopia’s ongoing transformation, the rapid growth of its aviation sector, its role as a diplomatic hub, and the security vulnerabilities associated with its regional geopolitical dynamics have made it essential to develop a modern, technology-supported security system capable of preventing increasingly sophisticated crimes.
He further noted that the program will help ensure cyber sovereignty and national security by promoting the development of home grown technologies. He added that the initiative aims to modernize border crossings and airports through the deployment of artificial intelligence, other advanced technologies, and a well-trained workforce, allowing the country to effectively address emerging security threats.
Participants at the workshop stated that the program is also a strategic component of Ethiopia’s Digital Ethiopia 2030 initiative, helping the country achieve its digital transformation goals while enhancing its competitiveness in the digital economy.
Finally, participants noted that the roadmap prepared for implementing the Airport and Border Management Transformation Program will strengthen Ethiopia’s capacity to provide security and operational services for the upcoming COP32 conference, which the country is expected to host, as well as for the planned large-scale airport in Bishoftu.
