Ethiopia’s Immigration and Citizenship Service unveiled a new Ethiopian passport on Friday in the presence of President Taye Aske Selassie.
The office stated that the passport was produced domestically and incorporates electronic features developed using the “latest technology” in passport production.
President Taye highlighted the electronic features of the Ethiopian e-passport, expressing confidence that it “will significantly enhance the country’s international relations and improve its global image,” as reported by state media.
There has been a concern about corruption within the passport office. Last year, Ethiopia’s Parliamentary Audit Committee uncovered a major corruption scandal involving officials who imposed unauthorized fees on clients. Over 17 million Ethiopian birr collected from these fees was allegedly channeled into a personal bank account, violating laws and administrative procedures.
Additionally, there have been reports of illegal issuance of passports through corrupt practices to individuals who do not hold Ethiopian citizenship. In light of such an experience, it is relevant to question how secure the production process is.
(Borkena)
