Pretoria: South Africa's Border Management Authority (BMA) will highlight its use of technology in border management during an international forum on immigration governance. BMA Commissioner Dr. Michael Masiapato is set to participate in the Sub-Forum on Migration Management Cooperation at the 2026 Conference of Global Public Security Cooperation in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, China, from September 8 to 11.
According to South African Government News Agency, Masiapato's participation comes at the invitation of the Chinese Government, with the Sub-Forum aiming to promote dialogue, share practices, and explore cooperation in migration management and border security. The event, themed 'Unity, Mutual Trust and Practical Cooperation: Forging a New Landscape for Global Immigration Governance', provides a platform for countries to address complex border and migration challenges collaboratively.
Masiapato, a speaker at the Sub-Forum, will discuss the role of digitisation in modern border management. His presentation, 'The Criticality of Digitisation in the Implementation of an Integrated Border Management Model', will highlight South Africa's technological advancements in border management. The focus will be on integrating people and goods movement, enhancing security, and facilitating legitimate travel and trade.
The BMA aims to learn from other countries during this engagement and explore innovative migration management and border security approaches. Masiapato emphasized the importance of international cooperation in tackling migration and border management challenges, highlighting digitisation as a key enabler in integrated border management.
Accompanying Masiapato are the Commandant in the Office of the Commissioner and the Deputy Assistant Commissioner responsible for the Operational Command Centre. The delegation will also visit the China People's Police University to gain insights into its border management expertise and training capabilities, aiding the BMA's consideration of establishing a Border Management Academy in South Africa.
The BMA views the Sub-Forum as a critical step towards strengthening cooperation between South Africa's BMA and China's National Immigration Administration. The engagement seeks to foster long-term partnerships in digitisation, immigration governance, border security, skills development, training, and technical expertise exchange. As the BMA engages with international counterparts, the focus will be on enhancing border management coordination, security, and efficiency while facilitating legitimate travel and trade.