Introduction
Borders play a significant role as they regulate and facilitate the trades and movement of people from one state to another. Additionally, effective border management can allow nations to achieve a more balanced approach to border management that enhances a country’s security. Migration management is another essential aspect that the system controls at the border. However, the increased cases of terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and illegal immigration have been major threats in many areas. Modern technology has also focused to changes in border management since Automated Border Control Systems are now being used in many countries.
The report focuses on the border management system and the factors that have influenced changes in the system. Two major regulatory roles that border agencies undertake today include how trade facilitation is impacted by these aspects.
Factors That Have Caused the Changes in Border Management System
Terrorism
One of the major issues that have influenced the changes in border management is terror attacks in many states. Governments in countries such as Australia and United States have ensured that they secure their borders by advancing their systems to prevent terrorists from entering through the border. Many people have lost their lives due to terrorist attacks, and strategies to limit these issues have led to changes in operations at the borders.
Although many countries benefit from trades that are achieved through the movement of people across borders, terror attacks have caused limited access of individuals (Baral, 2018). However, potential terrorism been termed as one of the high border security threats. For instance, countries such as Israel and Syria have experienced terror threats in the border points, leading to changes in their border management systems. Therefore, terrorism is one of the factors that has led to changes in the border management system.
Drug and Human Trafficking and Weapon Smuggling
Human trafficking is another issue that has increased in the contemporary world, leading to changes in the border management system. Many people have been arrested at the borders while trafficking humans in other countries. The cases have led to countries, such as Isrel and the U.S implementing changes in the systems to ensure that human trafficking is prevented. Cross-border trafficking in Nepal and India has largely been experienced, with victims experiencing many challenges such as rape and harassment (Baral, 2018). In most cases, the victims are rescued by authorities when crossing the borders.
However, those who are not lucky end up in hostile environments where they are used as slaves. Women are also involved in human trafficking, and some are forced to join prostitution. Therefore, human trafficking is a major issue that has led to increased changes in the border management system.
Drug trafficking is also another major aspect that has impacted border management in many countries. Drug traffickers use the border entry points to smuggle their illegal drugs in countries (Baral, 2018). For instance, many drug traffickers have been arrested at the U.S border while smuggling drugs into the country. Hence, the U.S government has ensured that it enhances its border management system to curb these cases by introducing scanners. States have focused on ways to guarantee that only tradable and legal goods can be moved through the borders. Thus, drug trafficking is a major factor that has led to changes in border management.
Weapon smuggling has increased, leading to many cases of gun violence. Some of these firearms are smuggled into a country through the border entry points. Therefore, governments have ensured that they develop changes to prevent smugglers from easy entry. Smugglers have also been arrested at the U.S border while shipping their firearms into the United States. Moreover, the issue led to the debate regarding the need for building a Southern border wall. Gun violence has become one of the major threats in many countries. Enhancing security at the borders to prevent criminals from smuggling their arms is one of the approaches that many countries have implemented. Therefore, drug and human trafficking and weapon smuggling are factors that have caused changes in the
Illegal Immigration
Economic challenges in many countries have forced people to migrate to other countries in search of jobs. However, many people do not follow the right procedures that governments have implemented. Thus, illegal immigration across borders has been encountered in many countries. For instance, cases of boats that have capsized in the Mediterranean Sea carrying illegal immigrants from Western African countries have been encountered. Consequently, nations have developed their border management systems using modern technology to ensure that illegal immigrants do not cross the borders.
Two of Major Regulatory Roles that Border Agencies Undertake Today and How Trade Facilitation Imports on These Roles
Border agencies have an important role in ensuring that borders are secure and facilitate trade. Regulatory roles of these border agencies have helped countries limit crime activities such as drug and human trafficking. Trade policy administration and public health, safety, and environment are some of the roles that these agencies exercise. The current complex global environment has led to changes in many border management systems. Trade policy administration is one of the roles that have been introduced in countries. The regulations involve tariff and non-tariff trade measures and trade facilitation programs. The agencies also ensure that they monitor the business environment, trade costs, and cargo release times. The provision of accurate data to support trade policy development is another essential role of the border agencies.
These policies also focus on how people move their goods across the borders. In this case, the border agencies ensure that they prevent the illegal movement of people across the borders. Additionally, rules to ensure that the movement of counterfeit products across the borders is curbed are implemented by the agencies. Individuals arrested with fake products in the borders are charged while other face jail terms. Therefore, one of the regulatory roles that border agencies undertake is trade policy administration.
Public health, safety, and environment are aspects that many countries have analyzed when implementing policies concerning border trade. For instance, the current global pandemic has led to strict measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Therefore, border agencies have ensured that individuals do not spread the infection by limiting the movement of people across the borders. The restrictions have also impacted trade in these areas since many people are not conducting businesses across the borders. Safety is another major issue that many governments have implemented across the borders. The border agencies have introduced security measures such as scanning weapons and checking passports across the borders. Moreover, regulation of the movement of hazardous waste is exercised by the border agencies. Protecting the environment is another essential aspect of the border agencies. Thus, the agencies have major regulatory roles in many countries.
Trade facilitation imports to these roles in various ways in many countries. For example, many countries have ensured that they introduce trade policies to improve how individuals conduct their businesses across the borders. Preventing the movement of illegal wildlife trade has also been achieved by the agencies. Preventing investment flows by meeting industry needs for supply chain facilitation is another essential role of the agencies. Thus, border management agencies have played essential roles involving security and trade in many nations.
Conclusion
To sum up, border management is vital in every state since it focuses on various issues impacting trade. For instance, the movement of illegal goods has been limited using policies implemented by border agencies. Additionally, border management has limited the misuse of trade and illegal movement of money across borders. Promoting the flows of investment by meeting industry needs is also another important factor involved in border management. Drug and human trafficking in the modern world have increased due to financial challenges experienced by many individuals in various states. Consequently, governments have ensured that they develop new approaches such as implementing modern technology to ensure that no drugs cross the border. Additionally, the use of technology has led to limited cases of weapon smuggling.
Public health is an important issue that every government should improve. Some of the infections can be transmitted across borders. Therefore, border management has ensured that citizens are protected by introducing strict measures that limit the spread of infections across the borders. Therefore, various aspects involving border management systems can be analyzed to determine how they impact trade and other issues such as health and security.
Reference
Baral, T. N. (2018). Border disputes and Iis Impact on bilateral relation: A case of Nepal-India international border management. Journal of APF Command and Staff College, 1(1), 28-36. Web.