5 July 2023
With the national ID/Omang used to cross between Botswana and Namibia, the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs has revealed plans to come up with an electronic one with advanced features.
Responding to a question in Parliament on Thursday, Minister Annah Mokgethi said the ID will include verification through a display of a picture of a traveller on the spot.
She added that this type of ID would also be interfaced with service provision of the various sectors of the economy. Mokgethi explained that the electrification of IDs is a crucial development for both countries, which allows and gives authentication on travel documents.
She said in order for the Border Control System (BCS) to carry out its work, the travel documents need to be machine readable. The Minister was responding to questions from the Gaborone Central Member of Parliament (MP) Tumisang Healy.
Healy had asked what security mechanism is in place for the use of Omang since the latter does not have biometric information. Healy also wanted to know if there are any plans to introduce biometric IDs that are machine readable.
“The current national ID is machine readable because it has biometric features,” Mokgethi clarified.
She also disclosed that a BCS has been installed at all ports of entry including the Botswana/Namibia border. It has been designed in such a way that it verifies and authenticates all travel documents including Omang. She also pointed out that the BCS is interfaced with the National Identification System, making it secure to capture the travel history of the card holder, she explained. On the issue of minors, Mokgethi indicated that Botswana and Namibia have agreed minors below 16 years would still be required to use travel documents to travel between borders.
“Both countries are working on a long-term solution to introduce electronic identification systems to facilitate the identification of minors in the future,” she stated.
Source: https://www.mmegi.bw/news/govt-working-on-electronic-omang/news
