Samoa hosted more than 40 immigration officers under the Pacific Immigration Development Community (P.I.D.C.) in combating Irregular Migration and enhancing Border Security in the country and the Pacific last week.

On the goal of strengthening information sharing to help manage irregular migration and secure borders, the five-day workshop brought together select senior immigration officers, managers, and directors at the forefront of national and border security efforts at seaports and airports across the region, to share experiences and strengthen efforts in sharing targeted information.

The P.I.D.C in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Global Maritime Crime Programme (UNODC GMCP) welcomed Immigration officers from across the Pacific to participate in the PIDC National Contact Points (NCP) Profiling Group and Maritime Group Information Sharing Regional Workshop.

Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (M.P.M.C.), Agafili Tomaimanō Shem Leo highlighted that while sharing information has become more frequent and accessible across different platforms, challenges remain in areas such as research, analytical capabilities, verification, accountability, and transparency that hinder the free and timely exchange of information among law enforcement agencies, as well as the efficient channelling of humanitarian assistance.

“There are challenges in intelligence networking, irregular people movement, maritime and cyber security, rapid technological advancement, in conjunction with profiling and biometrics,” said Agafili. 

“The opportunity, therefore, to share, receive, discuss, and dialogue through the NCP platform can lead to better coordination, trusted networking, interoperability, and above all, a secure, safe, and prosperous blue Pacific. I believe the sessions organized for this meeting will help refresh, equip, and bolster our joint efforts to respond to traditional and emerging security threats.”

The PIDC National Contact Points forum was created to foster transparent and effective communication, nurture genuine partnerships, and strengthen coordination and collaboration among our Pacific Immigration agencies, to strive for solidarity and unity on ways to address multifaceted challenges we face in the immigration spectrum.