Belgium modernises detention centre management with digital platform
The Immigration Office has launched a new digital platform for the management of detention centres and family accommodation units. The platform was unveiled on Monday in Ghent, in the presence of federal Asylum and Migration minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt and a representative from Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
The new system consolidates several procedures into a single digital application, covering booking and capacity management, intake, case tracking and departure. When someone arrives at a detention centre, the platform can indicate more quickly where space is available and which centre is most suitable, taking into account factors such as language, nationality or physical disability.
According to Van Bossuyt, the overhaul was long overdue. "Until now, they had to work with SharePoint, Excel files and all sorts of other things. That is no longer fit for purpose," she said. Paper-based processes were also still in use.
Those processes are now consolidated into a single, user-friendly platform. That should make day-to-day operations more efficient and reduce the risk of errors. "Everything is managed via a single module, which means processes can run faster and more efficiently, with less chance of mistakes," the minister said.
Developed in Ghent
The software was developed by Ghent-based tech firm In The Pocket. CEO Jeroen Lemaire stressed the sensitivity of the data involved. "That is why you want modern systems and want to drastically reduce the chance of users making mistakes," he said.
The platform was developed in accordance with Frontex's European RECAMAS framework for digital return management. A further phase will see the Immigration Office and In The Pocket extend the digitisation to other parts of the return process.
The Immigration Office manages six closed centres with a combined capacity of 550 places, receiving around 5,000 new residents each year. It also supports families without legal residence in dedicated residential units.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO EMILE WINDAL
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