MARTIN MAWAYA
HARARE-Government has partnered Garsu Pasauilis AUB to modernize the country’s ports of entry through the rolling out of an Online Border Management Systems (OBMS) that will incorporate Visa and residents permits.
This comes at a time when Garsu Pasauilis successfully implimented production of electronic passports based on biometric technology, including the rolling out of related services to the country’s ten provinces.
In a cabinet briefing last week, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government extended the contract to cover the implementation of national biometric infrastructure for producing entry visas and residents permits.
“Cabinet agreed to extend the Garsu Pasauilis contract to cover the implementation of national biometric infrastructure capable of producing entry visas and residence permits. The issuance of the visas and permits will be supported by an integrated information communication technology system capable of sustainably handling demand for the services,” she said.
Mutsvangwa added that the implementation of an Online Border Management System incorporating Visa and Residence Permits follows the remarkable transformation witnessed in the issuance of passports which has seen government clearing the passports backlog and reduce the queues.
She said the project is a testimony that the Government pays due “diligence and proficiency in engaging partners to implement projects”.
Meanwhile, the Minister said the recently held USA-Africa Business Summit has strengthened the country’s re-engagement efforts, adding that the country used the business expo to explore new opportunities and strengthening its relationship with America.
“The Business Summit explored new and evolving opportunities to strengthen US-Africa trade and investment relationships. The Summit provided business opportunities for Zimbabwe.
“More importantly, the summit focused on enhancing mutually beneficial collaboration between the USA and African countries in areas of mutual interest, including agribusiness, digital connectivity, health, sustainable energy, finance and infrastructure,” added Minister Mutsvangwa.
