Smart gates to replace passport control booths at Dubai airports

By 2030, the smart gates at Dubai airports will replace passport officials’ platforms, a senior official revealed.

Speaking at the Airport Security Middle East conference on the second day of The Airport Show, Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, director general, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA-D), said that the aim is to reduce the human involvement factor in the application of Dubai’s 10X initiative.

“We have created smart gates projects in an exclusive and modern way, and these amount now to about 122 smart gates. We have created a number of smart projects in Dubai international airports, the latest of which is 'Next-Generation Departure' project, which will enable passengers to complete their travel procedures in the least time possible,” Al Marri said.

Delivering the opening keynote address, Col. Hamooda Belsuwaida Alameri, assistant director general Operations at General Department of Airport Security, Dubai Police, said: “Dubai police has plans to coordinate its human resources and capabilities to ensure security at airports. The airport security challenges are land side security, cyber security and security checkpoints. Airports, the police and the security agencies need to collaborate and exchange information as well as to do risk assessments to ensure security on all fronts."

Technologies have been put into strategies and plans to have security checkpoints of the future, making Dubai airports safe and secure for all our clients, he added.

Al Marri added that the directorate is looking to realise the vision of having the UAE ranked amongst the best countries in the world in terms of safety and security by ensuring the implementation of nationality and residency related laws to bring security and economic benefit to the country and contribute to the protection of its ports.

"We are constantly evolving with the advent of modern technology and artificial intelligence tools. This may be one of the factors facing some sectors, requiring the deployment of innovative and intelligent solutions by government entities and contribution to promoting Dubai's global leadership," he said.

Dubai has set up its airports with a view to having them act as smart stations in their capacity as one of the most vital ports for the UAE, on the one hand, and the gateway to all people of the world, on the other

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