HNH- August 11, 2026
Ethiopia and the United Kingdom have held discussions on modernizing travel document inspection and strengthening air border management through advanced screening technologies.
The discussions were held at the Office of the Director General of the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service with UK Deputy Ambassador to Ethiopia Luke Bullock and a delegation. As part of the cooperation, the UK Government has donated a modern travel document examination device to the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service. Described as the only device of its kind in Africa, the equipment is designed to detect fraudulent travel documents and strengthen screening procedures at Bole International Airport.
Director General of the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service, Selamawit Dawit, said the UK’s support would further strengthen cooperation between the two countries and contribute to structural improvements in travel document verification. She said enhanced information sharing between Ethiopia and the UK would play an important role in combating document fraud and other forms of deception.
Selamawit added that the cooperation and technical support would help strengthen the partnership between the two countries, based on shared values, while contributing to the safe and efficient movement of people across the region.
UK Deputy Ambassador Luke Bullock said the initiative would serve as a starting point for deeper joint efforts to prevent crime, strengthen air border management and combat illegal activities.
He emphasized that the rule of law would remain the foundation of the cooperation and said the UK would work with the Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service to develop training programs and further enhance its institutional capacity.
“Fraudsters change their methods, and we must be prepared to respond accordingly,” Bullock said.
The modern travel document inspection equipment, provided with the support of the UK Border Force, is expected to strengthen operations at Bole International Airport and improve the quality, efficiency and reliability of Ethiopia’s travel document screening services.
