Border control and management will in the future be purely driven by technology with minimal human interaction, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has said.
Kindiki said future border control and management will be driven by digital technology, data and artificial intelligence.
“While the traditional security hardware will remain crucial for countries in the immediate future, the border of the future is going to be secure but contact-less, with minimal human interaction for checks and controls,” the CS said.
He spoke on Tuesday when he opened the Inaugural National Border Management Conference in Nairobi.
Kindiki said Kenya's commitment to border security goes beyond safeguarding national interests and seeks to foster regional cooperation and promote economic prosperity locally and regionally.
He said Kenya's borders serve as vital conduits for legitimate trade and travel, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas and cultures with not just her neighbours but the world at large.
For this reason, Kindiki said inter-agency cooperation is essential for success in border management in the face of transnational crime, terrorism and other illicit activities that threaten the safety and security of citizens.
“No single agency can address the myriad challenges posed by border security alone,” Kindiki said, and called for stakeholder collaboration and information sharing amongst law enforcement agencies, immigration, customs and intelligence teams.
“To keep our borders safe and secure for Kenya and the neighbouring countries, the government has made significant investments in equipping our security agencies with the latest technology and resources to combat complex security threats such as terrorism, human trafficking and trafficking in narcotics,” Kindiki said.
Present during the Border Management Conference were delegates from Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda.
Principal Secretaries Raymond Omollo (Internal Security) Julius Bitok (Immigration and Citizen Services), and Abdi Dubat (East African Community), and several development partners were also in attendance.
The al Shabaab terror group remains one of the biggest security threats to Kenya as far as border security is concerned.
Militants allied to the group have over time crossed over from Somalia and executed attacks on Kenyan soil before retreating to their hideouts in the neighbouring country.
Among the latest such attacks occurred on Monday, March 25, when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off at a food kiosk in Mandera, killing at least four people, including two police officers, and injuring at least 20 others.