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More than 100 participants, including officials from border law enforcement, security and civil aviation agencies from 13 Member States in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), regional and international experts, and representatives from international organizations, attended a regional workshop this week in Cairo on ‘’Setting-Up A Passenger Information Unit and Processing API and PNR’’. Jointly organized by UNOCT and UNODC under the framework of the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel (‘CT Travel’) Programme, and hosted by the Government of Egypt, the workshop took place from 29 to 31 May in Cairo, with participants from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates.

“This wide participation by the Member States reflects the importance of our subject... it is without doubt that organized crime and terrorism remain a global and a regional concern as organized criminal groups and terrorists exploit airports to smuggle drugs, cultural property, and others,” stated Ambassador Hussein Al-Saharty, Deputy Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Non-Governmental Organizations affairs in Egypt.

The event is supporting participants to gain a better understanding of the efforts being made by Member States in the region to counter terrorist travel using passenger data, thanks to a regional situational analysis of Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems shared by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Screening against international databases, passenger data collection within various cross-border transportation modalities, legal frameworks, and real-time communication channels were also key points of discussion. 

“We always recall the saying that security isn’t something you buy, but it is something you do; and you need skilled, trained and talented people to do it. Therefore, this training on setting-up passenger information unit and processing API and PNR is of vital importance,” stated Mr. Matt Friesen, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Canada in Egypt.

“The European Union is a global player in security and our aim is to ensure coordination with Partner Countries and International Organizations. This includes building partnerships and offering support to our partners along the entire Counter Terrorism cycle in order to Anticipate, Prevent, Respond and Protect from terrorist attacks and serious crimes,” noted Ambassador Christian Berger, the European Union Ambassador to Egypt. 

Flagging the importance of the international framework for countering terrorist travel using passenger data, Ms. Christine Bradley, UNOCT Chief of Countering Terrorist Travel Section, noted that ‘’Collectively with our implementing partners, all of whom are also here today, we have been delivering concrete technical assistance to States on legal, operational, transport industry and technical matters since the CT Travel Programme was launched in 2019. That is why we see this workshop as the first steppingstone in a long journey. We are hopeful that the community of practitioners and experts who have gathered here from 13 Arab Member States will continue their engagement, coordination, and mutual support on API-PNR matters for the years to come.’’

“Organized criminal groups have long focused on speeding up and expanding the transportation of drugs and other illicit goods by using aircrafts, ships, or containers. Aviation is likely to remain an attractive sphere for committing organized crime. Through its Global AIRCOP Programme, UNODC with its regional partners, has been supporting cooperation and communication between origin, transit, and destination countries with the purpose of disrupting cross-border illicit flows and criminal networks,” affirmed Ms. Cristina Albertin, UNODC Regional Representative for MENA at the event.

The regional workshop was organized to foster the sharing of best practices and lessons learned and to provide a platform for the widest possible cooperation and exchange of information between Passenger Information Units in the region. A number of Member States within the MENA region are already benefiting from the comprehensive, yet tailored support available under the CT Travel Programme, and the global Airport Communication Project (AIRCOP) implemented by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)  in many airports within the region. 

As global travel continues to rebound following the global COVID-19 pandemic, members of terrorist groups and other transnational organized crime groups will continue to take advantage of existing pressures on air, land, and maritime borders across the globe, exploiting the increasing connectivity offered by airlines. The collection and processing of Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) data tools can support combatting transnational crimes, through the identification, detection, and interception of terrorists, including Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs), and other criminals.