Assistance

​Identification management, travel document security and border controls are central to the current global security agenda considering the continuous rise of irregular migration, trans-border crime and terrorism. The ICAO Traveller Identification Programme (ICAO TRIP) Strategy is designed to assist Member States in addressing those threats, further to contributing to international efforts to create a sustainable security foundation, while fostering economic development and good governance.

In coordination with the Implementation and Capacity Building Working Group (ICBWG) of the Technical Advisory Group and the ICAO Technical Cooperation Bureau (TCB), the Facilitation Section has engaged with Member States to support them in meeting their international obligations on the Standards and Recommend Practices (SARPs) outlined in Annex 9 — Facilitation to the Chicago Convention and the specifications in ICAO Doc 9303, Machine Readable Travel Documents (MRTDs).

In recent years, the assistance was carried out to over 80 States and International Organizations, ranging from clarifying MRTD specifications and interpreting requirements, to full-scale technical assessment, consultation, training deliveries and regional seminars.

ICAO closely collaborates with the UN Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) for implementing the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the UN Security Council resolutions related to counter-terrorism, notably the resolutions 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005) and 2178 (2014). As one of the 40 specialized entities of the CTITF, ICAO is partnering with other organizations such as the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other relevant CTITF parties to implement the ICAO TRIP Strategy and more broadly to assist States in meeting their international obligations and tackle the threat of terrorism.

Voluntary Contribution Projects

Projects funded by the Government of Canada:

Since 2011, through the Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (ACCBP) and the Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program (CTCBP), the Government of Canada has funded three ICAO's initiatives to assist Member States.

Those three project were structured around three types of activities:

1) ICAO TRIP Regional Seminars for gathering representatives from Ministry of Interior, Border police, Civil Aviation Agency, Civil registry and Immigration with the objectives of:

• Increasing the awareness of the participating Member States of their international obligations under Annex 9 — Facilitation and disseminating information on the ICAO TRIP Strategy and travel documents specifications contained in Doc 9303;
• Identifying challenges and best practices in the three areas of identification management, travel document security and immigration control at borders, with the objective of aiding the Secretariat to develop a roadmap on future capacity-building projects; and
• Strengthening communication and cooperation between national agencies and between States.
   

2) Technical assessment missions, which are performed in-country by a team of senior experts during with the goal of identifying best practices and vulnerabilities in State processes and systems related to the ICAO TRIP Strategy. Those missions are not ICAO audits but rather an opportunity for the State to benefit from the expertise of the assessment team during the mission and obtain recommendations to further implement the ICAO TRIP Strategy.

The objectives of the assessment missions are to:

• Analyze existing systems, procedures and capacities within ministries and agencies overlooking identification management and civil registration, travel documents issuance and security, and border controls on passengers;
• Identify current capacity gaps and challenges (Phase I) for developing future technical capacity-building initiatives, including training and equipment (Phase II);
• Assist the State to address, improve and determine ways to overcome the challenges being faced in matters related to identification management systems, passport issuance and border controls;
• Compile the findings and recommendations into a technical report for the benefit of the State; and
• Developing assessment tools for supporting the assessment team during the missions and for States to self-assess their process and procedures related to identification management, the issuance and handling of travel documents and border controls.

3) Development of trainings, according to the TRAINAIR PLUS Methodology and in partnership with the ICAO Global Aviation Training (GAT). As such, ICAO has developed the ICAO Training Package “Control of the Authenticity and Validity of Travel Documents at Airport Borders – Level I”, The purpose of this course is to consolidate the competencies of front-line inspection officers to examine travel documents effectively, allowing them to expedite the movements of legitimate travellers while intercepting high-risk individuals and persons of interest.

For more information on assistance needs and technical cooperation, contact the nearest ICAO Regional Office.