International air transport industry-owned multinational information technology company SITA (not to be confused with South Africa’s State Information Technology Agency) senior VP: SITA at Borders Jeremy Springall has urged African countries to digitalise their border management systems. This would make it easier for people and goods to cross their borders while allowing them to protect themselves from crime, trafficking, terrorism and pandemics, yet preserving the data privacy of travellers.

“Africa’s immense potential to become a global powerhouse is undeniable,” he highlighted. “It has all the ingredients including a market of 1.2-billion consumers (rising to 1.7-billion by 2030) and a combined [gross domestic product] worth $2.5-trillion.”

Yet, despite African countries all having recognised the benefits of the African Union’s flagship African Continental Free Trade Area, Single African Air Transport Market and Free Movement of Persons Protocol programmes, these all remained far from full implementation. He reported that, at the recent SITA Borders Management Africa Summit, in Nairobi, Kenya, speakers and delegates highlighted that the biggest single hindrance to truly implementing these programmes was the lack of efficient intra-African borders to allow people and goods to move frictionlessly from country to country.

Such frictionless border crossing would unlock free trade, tourism and economic opportunities, so promoting widespread prosperity across the continent. But, currently, it was easier and faster to transport mobile phones from China to Africa than to move some bags of maize from one African country to another. The customs and immigration authorities of the different African countries employed inconsistent criteria in the issuing of visas, authorisations and permits, and often used incompatible and vulnerable systems.

“The good news is that proven digital border management technology and emerging digital identities put Africa in pole position to lead the way,” he affirmed. “A key advantage for Africa is that it faces fewer legacy challenges in the digital space and in many ways, it can move faster. The digital transformation of borders will be inevitable if the continent is to achieve its ambition.”

SITA had long experience in helping countries upgrade their border systems to make crossings faster and more secure. Over the past 30 years, it had helped 70 countries, including Egypt and South Africa, to do so.

“The technology exists today to make an African free trade area a reality,” assured Springall. “It allows the balancing of protectionist measures to keep national borders safe with a more welcoming face to visitors. It is scalable. And it is inclusive, allowing all elements of public life to be managed from a single identity.”