28 Nov 2022

Terrorism and trans-national organised crime threats require coordinated solutions and multilateral cooperation due to their nature and complexity.

   This was said by  Directorate of Intelligence and Security director general, Brigadier Peter Magosi when welcoming delegates to the SADC Informal Working Group inaugural meeting on passenger data in Gaborone recently.

 “No state can single-handedly tackle this threat and our cooperation at all levels cannot be over emphasised,” he stated.

He said Botswana’s commitment in contributing to world peace and security was evidenced by its participation in regional and international cooperation initiatives. 

Botswana, he said, had achieved a milestone by being the first Sub Saharan country to inaugurate a passenger information unit under the counter terrorist travel programme. 

“This follows another milestone of being the first country to test and operationalise the aviation security threat assessment model programme which was completed in February,” he said.

Brigadier Magosi said the regional working group was another counter terrorism milestone. 

“It is heart-warming to observe the setting up of infrastructure and institutions that support regional counter terrorism initiatives,” he said adding that more such institutions were needed to reinforce regional and global counter terrorism vigilance.

Brigadier Magosi said the working group would not replace or work at cross purposes with other regional counter terrorism initiatives.

“The SADC informal working group, therefore, is an opportunity for member states to build capacity in countering terrorism and organised crimes especially those targeting airports and airlines,” Brigadier Magosi said.

 Another speaker, UN resident coordinator, Mr Zia Choudhury  said terrorists and organised criminal groups were now using advanced technologies including drones, GPS systems, broken travel patterns and encrypted messaging services which authorities needed to keep up with in order to ensure security.

That required developing laws, infrastructure and procedures to track suspects, he said.

  Urging SADC member states to maintain the human element in countering terrorism, Mr Choudhury said technology and the human element must work together.

About the working group, he described it as as an invaluable tool for fostering dialogue and cooperation in the fight for a world free of terrorism and organised crime.

It was also an important forum for sharing  of good practices and lessons learned, he said. 

Mr Choudhury said it would foster mutual trust and regional cooperation in the fight to prevent the travel of known and unknown terrorists as well as serious criminals by using passenger data.

Mr Choudhury advised member states to be mindful of the human rights implications of the use of advanced passenger information such as the right to privacy and data protection.   

“We can only address the threat facing us by raising our standards collectively to ensure that there is no weak link in the region that criminal and terrorist groups can exploit,” he said.

For her part, Ms Christine Bradley of the UN’s counter-terrorism office said the SADC Informal Working Group could learn from its European Union counterpart. 

  She said the UN planned to replicate the informal working group model across the world with the support of regional organisations and international experts.

   Apart from the SADC working group, others had been established for Eastern Europe, Central Asia and West Africa, revealed Ms Bradley.

  The purpose of the working group is to provide a forum for cooperation and exchange of information between member states passenger information units.ENDS