Immigration, Nationality and Vital Events Agency Inaugurates Document Forensic Laboratory

Addis Ababa June 3/2021 (ENA) Immigration, Nationality and Vital Events Agency (INVEA) has inaugurated document forensic laboratory at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport today.

On the occasion, INVEA Director-General Mujib Jemal said controlling the security of travel documents during issuance, examination and verification at ports of entry significantly contributes to national and international security.

“The establishment of this forensic laboratory at Bole International Airport, which is a major intercontinental port of entry, is vital step forward in addressing this problem at national and international level,” he added.

Mujib pointed out that the newly inaugurated forensic laboratory marks a milestone in the efforts of INVEA in improving its immigration border management approaches and practices and to better manage the borders.

Germany Ambassador to Ethiopia, Stephan Auer said the laboratory is of crucial importance given that Bole International Airport is the country’s largest port of entry and the biggest air transportation hub in Africa.

“The new equipment will help INVEA verify the authenticity of travel documents and improve its capabilities to detect fraud, thereby enhancing Ethiopia’s capacity to ensure the safe and orderly movement of people into its territory,” the Ambassador elaborated.

Germany has trained 10 personnel and funded the translation of IOM’s Passport Examination Manual into Amharic, he said, and noted “we are interested in strengthening this cooperation.”

IOM Chief of Mission to Ethiopia, Muareen Achieng said the establishment of 3 forensic document examination laboratories (2 at Bole and 1 in INVEA office), represents a watershed moment for migration controls in Ethiopia.

Equipped with the state-of-the-art of technology and fraud detection specialists, the laboratory will help INVEA to verify the authenticity of travel documents and improve its capabilities to detect fraud, she added.

The forensic labs offer Ethiopian Airlines additional solutions to concerns around fraudulent, expired, or erroneous documents, Achieng stated, and said "in doing so the government of Ethiopia will be able to manage security risks and respond to potential threats at its borders."