Republic of Cabo Verde
With a steadily growing number of tourists (from 765 thousand in 20181 to over 1 million in 20232), Cabo Verde needed a secure and automated solution that would allow the country to provide travelers with a smooth border control experience, while guaranteeing efficient identity checks. The Cabo Verdean authorities selected Zetes based on the quality of the offer, in a solution which combines the needed reliability together with flexibility in execution.
An archipelago located in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 570 kilometers off the western coast of the African continent, near Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania, Cabo Verde has an economy which is heavily relying on travel and tourism. Before the COVID 19 pandemic, the sector represented about 38.1% of the GDP3 and 46.8% of the employment4. In 2024, Cabo Verde Ministry of Tourism expects to reach 1.2 Million tourists, which was initially their objective for 20265. As a smooth travel experience participates to a great extent to a tourist’s first impression of the country, it was important for the authorities to invest in a border control solution that would ease and accelerate border crossing for incoming visitors, while not giving in on security. Cabo Verde counts 583 000 inhabitants spread over the country’s 10 islands, runs 7 airports and 9 sea ports.
Performing online travel declaration
The first phase of the deployment, which was operational in under 3 months, focused on the implementation of the pre-registration solution (Electronic Travel System or ETS), which operates as a one-stop-shop for tourists to submit their travel and personal data and to expedite their tourism visa, as well as the airport security fee.
People who want to visit the islands can apply online, through a dedicated website (https://ease.gov.cv). They are provided with an application number, which allows them to facilitate the border crossing process on arrival. The pre-enrollment avoids travelers going through visits to the consulate. The pre-enrollment avoids travelers going through visits to the consulate. They can register either individually using the web platform or via a travel agency.
Zetes, our technological partner, provides top-notch technical solutions and has been in charge of the full execution of this project. We are very pleased and proud of the achieved results. Being able to provide safety and security, creating confidence and well-being is, without a doubt, a country and top touristic destination’s most important intangible asset. It is, indeed, a differentiating factor that we are committed to ensure, alongside competitiveness. - Paulo Rocha, Minister of Internal Affairs
The border control solution
Zetes then further proceeded to the implementation of the full-fledged border control solution, including both hardware and software.
The border management application offers a wide range of functionalities including:
- Control of entry and exit of travelers
- Biometric identification
- National and International Watch lists
- Passport verification (ICAO)
- Advance Passenger Information (API)
- External management tool access
The application is intuitive and easy to use, allowing border control agents to quickly perform all the necessary checks.
Integration with national & international watch lists and API
Security of the national territory being one of the main purposes of a border management solution, cross-checking a traveler’s information with different data sources is essential. Zetes provided the integration with national and international watch lists. Data of incoming passengers are compared to those held in these databases.
This allows to quickly control if a passport has been declared as lost, stolen, if it’s a counterfeited document or if a person is being searched for by the authorities of the country of arrival or at international level. These integrations therefore further strengthen the border reliability.
Zetes’ solution also foresees the integration of Cabo Verde’s border control with an Advanced Passenger Information system. This way, the moment a plane takes off, all the biographic data of the passports of passengers from the country of origin will be sent to Cabo Verde allowing preliminary checks. This information will be received from several airlines, which will then be stored and processed by the Border control solution.
State-of-the-art eGates
The four international airports of Cabo Verde, located in Praia, and in the islands of Santiago, Boa Vista, Sal and São Vicente, were equipped with state-of-the art e-gates: eleven so far, with more to come. Each additional border control post is equipped with fixed stations comprising passport readers, receipt printer and a webcam.
Sea ports solutions
Zetes also delivers sea ports solutions: for the smaller vessels with reduced number of passengers and crews, we use mobile kits that have the same functionalities as the fixed stations. These kits allow to operate in a very flexible way as border control checks can be performed directly on a boat. For larger cruise ships, a cruise port solution will also be introduced, allowing to offload up to 3,000 passengers in a seamless way.
Disaster Recovery Site
All the travellers’ data related to the entry and exit out of the Cabo Verdean territory are stocked in the central site. Continuous communication between the airport border control posts and the central site, ensures that the most up to date information is available to all border control posts at all times.
The solution is designed to be available offline. This means that in the event of a connectivity issue hindering the data exchange between sites, border controls can still be performed. Once the link is re-established, the information is immediately updated to and from the central site. As the central site is a very critical component, it is monitored using an advanced closed-circuit television system and its access is protected by a biometric system. A replica of the central site, with the exact same configuration, is also available to serve as a disaster recovery site. This ensures maximum availability of the solution.
New Zetes office in Cabo Verde
Under the terms of the contract, the project is executed following the principles of the Build, Operate & Transfer model. It also means that the solution is being continuously maintained and supported by Zetes. To be able to do so efficiently, the company opened a branch company in Cabo Verde. More than 30 employees were already hired locally and trained to the technical specificities of the border control solution.
Crossing the border in 12 seconds
Thanks to Zetes’ border control solution, travelers and border control authorities alike now benefit from faster and more secure border crossings. Pre-enrollment and automated checks allow to decrease the workload at borders and get through the whole process in a record time. The solution has enabled a reduction in the time spent on border control per traveler from 1 minute 30 seconds to merely 30 seconds using the e-gates. Under ideal conditions, this duration can even be reduced to about 12 seconds per traveler.
At the same time, automation also allows to guarantee higher security, thanks to the use of biometrics and systematic and instantaneous checks being performed against a wide range of national and international databases.
1. ine.cv/publicacoes/estatisticas-do-turismo-movimentacao-hospedes-ano-2018
2. ine.cv/publicacoes/estatisticas-do-turismo-movimentacao-de-hospedes-ano-2023-2
3. statista.com/statistics/1276930/contribution-of-travel-and-tourism-to-gdp-in-cape-verde
4. statista.com/statistics/1276941/contribution-of-travel-and-tourism-to-total-employment-in-cape-verde/
5. revistacomunidades.pt/cabo-verde-quer-receber-12-milhoes-de-turistas-este-ano