R i s k , t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d s e c u r i t y New ones are formed and old ones discontinued. Leaders move on, to be replaced by the next generation. But through all this, the challenge remains. So, how can we work together on a higher level to promote safe and secure borders across the world? The key lies in closer cross-border collaboration. One country’s inbound traffic is another country’s outbound traffic. One country’s imports are another country’s exports. We face common enemies – smugglers, human traffickers, international criminals and terrorists. And we share the same mission: to facilitate genuine traffic and to stop harmful traffic. These are the foundations upon which BORDERPOL is built. Of course, this does not mean that all countries are the same. We all have our own geographical and political dimensions to contend with. In today’s world, the modern border cannot be ‘controlled’ or ‘owned’ by any one person or agency. A country’s border is owned by its people and controlled by their leaders on their behalf. The people demand high standards. They expect their border to be the first line of defence in keeping them safe. If a border is penetrated by criminals and terrorists, then border agencies will be held to account. At the same time, people want to be able to cross their border freely and easily. Security and border checks will be tolerated, but there is a threshold. If queues get too long, or delays accrue, people get agitated. So we need to keep the queues moving without compromising security. If we fail in this mission, the repercussions are significant. The 9/11 report suggested that as many as 15 of the 19 hijackers were potentially vulnerable to interception by border authorities. By contrast, the attacks on the London transport system on 7/7 were perpetrated by ‘home-grown’ terrorists who were themselves UK nationals. Some of these individuals had travelled to other countries to attend terrorist training camps. In response, both the USA and the UK took significant steps to ensure much closer collaboration between their government departments and agencies than was previously the case. In both countries – and in others too – the border agencies were reformed through the merger of the traditional customs and immigration departments into a single border force. This trend continues to this day, with Australia having announced plans to open a new single Australian Border Force by summer 2015. Of course, governments cannot mitigate all border security threats without the help of industry leaders. BORDERPOL increasingly relies upon more advanced passenger information from the airlines and other transportation companies to mitigate risks. Passengers now routinely provide their passport details in advance of travel, with some countries demanding that these details be checked in advance of travel, before authorising boarding. In the electronic age, more personal data is being shared across more borders than ever before. Yet still imposters are able to board flights using lost and stolen passports – as evidenced in the tragic case of flight MH370. This is frustrating for those such as Interpol which is working to eliminate fraudulent travel and often complains that border agencies are not making the best use of global databases such as its. Fortunately though, global collaboration is also on the increase. Standards are getting better. Following the excellent work done by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), there are now universal machine-readable travel documents, which greatly aid security and facilitation at borders. ICAO is now extending its remit to look at global passport issuance standards and to improve the security of passport checks. The International Air Transportation Authority (IATA) has joined forces with Airports Council International (ACI) to develop ‘smart security’ as a follow up to the ‘checkpoint of the future’, using passenger data to inform security risks at airports. The excellent IATA/Control Authorities Working Group (CAWG) – which developed the original framework for document checks by airlines – continues to thrive. The World Customs Organization (WCO) continues to lead best practice for Customs Agencies. And there are now regional groups, such as the Five Country Conference (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA), APEC, the EU and ASEANAPOL, with a mission to share best practice and intelligence across international borders. However, only BORDERPOL covers all regions of the world in driving best practice in border controls. What’s more, BORDERPOL has a leadership board with vast experience of leading border operations in different regions of the world. As international liaison director at BORDERPOL, it is my aim to bring together as many border leaders as often as possible to promote mutual discussion and support. Experience shows just how valuable this can be. BORDERPOL believes that we are stronger together than we are alone. And by our deeds, we will extend our fame. Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15 118 TONY SMITH is international liaison director for BORDERPOL (www.borderpol.org). He retired as director general of the UK Border Force in 2013 after 40 years of distinguished service in the UK government. He holds the unique distinction of being head of ports and borders in two different countries – Canada and the UK. He was awarded the prestigious order of Commander of the British Empire by HM Queen Elizabeth II for his services to border security during the London 2012 Olympic Games.
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