Skip to main content
News - 
Global

Asia’s Largest Border Management Conference Presents Solutions to Global Mobility and Identity Governance Challenges

Bangkok – Following a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 6th Border Management and Identity Conference (BMIC) – Asia’s largest gathering focused on identity and border management – was held in Bangkok this week (7-9 December). 

Close to 400 border management specialists convened from around the world, for what is normally a biennial event, organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Asia Pacific Smart Card Association (APSCA), under the auspices of the Royal Thai Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The theme this year was Solutions to Minimize Disruption to Cross-Border Movements of People and Trade While Safeguarding National Security during Crises.   

Since the first BMIC in 2010, this event has become the largest gathering of government authorities and other agencies specializing in the areas of civil registration, customs, home affairs, immigration, justice, health, population management and public security. The conference’s sixth edition saw participants exchange new developments, best practices and lessons learned in the context of emerging global trends. 

Representatives from Ukraine and neighbouring countries emphasized the role of effective identity management in facilitating smooth entry and exit procedures and combatting trafficking and smuggling. Stakeholders further stressed the need for stronger preparedness and, moving forward, committed to explore innovative financing solutions for such measures. 

Meanwhile, representatives from Pacific Immigration Development Community (PIDC) member states steered discussions on climate change-induced displacement, sharing progress on the development of a regional framework on climate mobility. Following additional inputs from Mozambique, stakeholders identified priority areas of work, including enhancing data on climate displacement and civil registration for displaced people. 

A separate workshop focused on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, with case studies from Rwanda and Sri Lanka. Private sector representatives presented new technologies that could help countries continue to safely reopen borders while mitigating public health risks. 

In his opening remarks delivered via video, António Vitorino, IOM Director General, highlighted that “effective border and identity management, and the pursuit of related technological advancements, depend upon being able to protect the rights of people on the move.” He added: "We must find ways to manage identity securely, to protect cross-border travellers and migrants from organized crime, including traffickers and smugglers, and identity fraud." 

“The conference has never before been so focused on global events that have disrupted, or are disrupting, the cross-border migration and mobility of people and trade,” emphasized Greg Pote, APSCA Chairman, on the timeliness of the conference. 

“We stand in a very crucial time in migration management,” echoed Narong Boonsatheanwong, Acting Director-General, Department of Consular Affairs of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “[BMIC] has become one of the most crucial and influential flagship programmes to explore key solutions.” 

Throughout the three days, the conference hosted an exhibition for industry partners featuring the latest solutions and technologies designed to improve the facilitation of cross-border movements while strengthening national security. 

 

****

For more information, please contact: 
Laura Scorretti: lscorretti@iom.int, +66 653485317
Miko Alazas: aalazas@iom.int, +66 65 119 0912

Share this page via:

Regions
Office type
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Asia and the Pacific
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas (The)
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cabo Verde
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic (the)
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros (the)
Congo (the)
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo (the)
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic (the)
East and Horn of Africa
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Europe and Central Asia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia (the)
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Global Office in Brussels
Global Office in Washington
Greece
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
IOM Office at the United Nations
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Iraq
Ireland
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic (the)
Latin America and the Caribbean
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Manila Administrative Centre
Marshall Islands (the)
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Middle East and North Africa
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger (the)
Nigeria
North Macedonia
Norway
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Panama Administrative Centre
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines (the)
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of Korea
Republic of Moldova (the)
Romania
Russian Federation (the)
Rwanda
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Subregional Office in Brussels
Subregional Office in Pretoria
Sudan (the)
Sweden
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic (the)
Tajikistan
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Türkiye
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
United Republic of Tanzania (the)
UNSC Resolution 1244-Administered Kosovo
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Viet Nam
West and Central Africa
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe