The Australian Border Force (ABF) has delivered specialist aviation training to Solomon Islands Customs, Immigration, Biosecurity and Police on conducting effective and efficient enforcement operations across the aviation environment.
The five-day course focused on elements critical to border aviation operations including passenger risk assessment and pre-border targeting, interviewing, baggage examinations, evidence handling, border intelligence, indicators of transnational organised crime, human trafficking, document examination and impostor identification.
This will be particularly critical during the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara, where up to 1000 additional travellers are expected to cross the Solomon Islands border.
The course was designed in consultation with Solomon Islands Customs and Immigration senior executives. It will support border agencies to facilitate legitimate travel and trade while maintaining the integrity of the border, protecting the community and jobs, and boosting the economy by reducing revenue evasion and other illicit activities.
The classroom-based training was designed to be highly interactive, involving case studies, desktop and operational scenarios where the participants were able to demonstrate their skills and learning.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton said Australia is committed to listening and responding to the needs of Solomon Islands.
“Australia remains committed to supporting the Solomon Islands in all areas including border protection, especially for its upcoming hosting of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting,” he said. “Training courses like this not only help border agencies keep Solomon Islands safe and secure, but also support the growth of the economy and the creation of jobs.”
Director of Immigration Chris Akosawa said “This course will support Immigration in facilitating legitimate travellers while increasing our capacity to detect irregular migration and threats to the community. We thank the ABF for delivering this course and their ongoing cooperation to build capability within the Solomon Islands border agencies.”
Customs National Manager, Border Operations, Minnie Vaike said “A strong aviation enforcement capability is vital in protecting the Solomon Islands community from revenue evasion and transnational crime threats such as narcotics, firearms or other prohibited or illicit goods from entering the community.”
“The skills gained from this course will allows us to use our resources more effectively and efficiently to target high risk travellers and goods, while we facilitate legitimate travel and trade.”
Australia is proud to be Solomon Islands’ number one border security partner. Whether at the airport, at the seaports, or the remote border outposts, Australian support is helping to keep Solomon Islands’ safe, secure and prosperous.
– AHC
