LocationsDigital Arrival Card to transform border security in Fiji
February 9, 2023
Participants from across Government, along with members from the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, met in Suva to discuss implementation of a digital arrival card system.
Suva, Fiji - A national consultation to discuss the digitization of the arrivals process at Fiji’s borders, as well as the guiding principles needed to achieve its National Border Upgrade Strategy, was held in Suva today.
With a proposal to be put to Cabinet this month, Fiji’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration is working alongside the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji to align immigration processes to the Government’s overall digital transformation strategy.
This work is being undertaken with support from the Government of Japan and its Integrated Border Management Project. The project aims to support relevant agencies in Fiji, Palau and Vanuatu in reinforcing their capacities, capabilities and systems for effective and efficient movement of travellers and cargo, and to strengthen links for data and knowledge sharing, inter-agency and cross-regional cooperation.
Senior Adviser with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Joji Washington, outlining the benefits of digitizing processes for incoming passengers to Fiji.
The Digital Arrival Card is an electronic version of the physical arrival card containing personal information, trip and health declaration details. It is an online document that can be accessed through mobile devices and computers allowing passengers to fill and submit information prior to arrival, and is currently used in countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Senior Adviser with the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Joji Washington, said digitizing the arrival process would result in the seamless movement of travellers through ports of entries.
“Incoming passenger information collected from the arrival card is used to assist in identifying transnational organised crime, and more recently aid in the mitigation of health risks such as COVID-19. Through digitizing this process, data collection will be more thorough, safe and secure, and the physical process of crossing our borders will be expedited,” Mr. Washington said.
UNDP Effective Governance Team Leader, Revai Makanje Aalbaek, added, “The logic of this approach is obvious, but the complexity of its implementation is often underestimated. Through the Integrated Border Management Project and this consultation process, we are building genuine collaboration between key border management actors – not only here in Fiji but across the region,” she said.
UNDP Project Manager, Yuka Heya (right), discussing the digital arrival card with a participant representing the Government of Fiji.
Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Fiji, H.E. Kawakami Fumihiro said digitization was a key pillar of Japan’s support to the region.
“Under the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision the Government of Japan supports free and robust economic activity throughout the region, with the digitization of systems and processes being one way to further this. The national consultation process embodies the knowledge sharing ethos of this project, and the Government of Japan hopes that this support will serve as a trigger for further development of the roll out of digital solutions for border management in Fiji,” Ambassador Fumihiro said.
This work is aligned to the existing digitization project currently being undertaken by the Fiji Immigration Department and the country’s five-year National Border Security Priorities 2023-2028.
The one-day national consultation was held at the Holiday Inn, Suva on 9 February with guests from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Fiji Airports, Fiji Ports, and the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji in attendance.
For further media enquiries please contact:
Rustam Pulatov, Programme Manager, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji; Tel: +679 3312 500; Email: rustam.pulatov@undp.org;
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