Sri Lanka to receive Australian aid for new passport system overhaul.
The governments of Australia and Sri Lanka have joined forces to tackle illegal immigration by kickstarting a new passport program which will be powered by the biometrics feature. This new joint venture funded by the Australian government will help to curb rampant passport malpractices which further facilitate the problem of illegal migration.
Australia is reportedly funding the project with 500 million Sri Lankan Rupees (US$3.84 million), while the Sri Lankan treasury will also shell out another 50 million Sri Lankan Rupees. The project is being spearheaded by the Colombo based International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Apart from funding the project in two installments, the Australian government also provided the Sri Lankan Navy with two large Bay Class patrol boats in appreciation of the ongoing efforts to curb illegal migration.
The project will introduce an automated fingerprint identification system and digital pantographs, which are in line with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Officials say that the government is under pressure to enhance the security features due to growing malpractice concerns surrounding the Sri Lankan passport system.
Photo Credits: Customs
