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Immigration and Border Governance
With the increasing movement of people and goods across borders, governments face a challenge of finding the right balance between keeping the borders open and keeping them secure and controlled. IOM has worked to build the government’s capacity in this regard by focusing on skills development and acquisition of infrastructure and equipment.
East Africa has been a volatile region, facing numerous challenges from political, military and economic instability. Such conditions have placed great strain on the border management of Uganda, exposing its borders as being vulnerable to irregular movements and mass migrations.
The pressures on Uganda’s borders are also a major contributing factor to other cross border issues such as trafficking in persons and smuggling of precious materials which fuel conflicts. Yet IOM strongly believes that ultimately, migration benefits society – especially if humane and orderly. It means that with the increasing movement of people and goods across borders, governments such as Uganda’s must find the right balance between keeping the borders open and keeping them secure and controlled.
Over the years, IOM Uganda has worked to build the government’s capacity in this regard by focusing on skills development and acquisition of sound infrastructure and modern equipment.
Our Approach
IOM supports the Government of Uganda to:
- Improve border management infrastructure and logistics such as border posts and vehicles
- Acquire modern equipment and IT systems.
- Train Immigration officials on issues such as general border management, immigration intelligence and technical competences.
- Promote inter-agency cooperation on border security.
Most recent, under this programme, was the Strengthening Border Security in Uganda Project, funded by the Government of Japan. Among other things, this project saw the installation of the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) in eight border points, as well as the construction of Uganda’s first ever Immigration Training Academy in the central Nakasongola district.
- Border Posts with MIDAS
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Developed by IOM in 2009, MIDAS is a high-quality, user-friendly and affordable border management information system. It is able to collect, process, store and analyse real-time information across an entire border network, about who is entering and exiting a given country. In Uganda, border posts with MIDAS include Suam (Bukwo District), Lwakhaka (Manafwa), Afogi (Moyo), Vurra (Arua), Goli (Nebbi), Ntoroko (Ntoroko), Bunagana (Kisoro) and Cyanika (Kisoro)
- Supporting the Immigration Training Academy
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Between 2022 and 2025, IOM is implementing a project to address Transnational Organized Crime on Lake Victoria, funded by the USA Government. Among earlier projects included support for the operationalization of the Uganda National Immigration Training Academy. Located in Nakasongola district in Central Uganda, the academy was designed and constructed by IOM, before it was handed over to the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC) in March 2017. With funding from the IOM Development Fund, this project supported DCIC to develop an institutional strategy for the use and management of the Academy. The strategy emphasized inter-agency and international cooperation, and enhance integration as a pillar of border management.
DCIC’s curriculum was strengthened in order to ensure adoption of international best practices in training, including issues related to gender and mobility. The project also included a training of trainers by an international expert. This helped to strengthen DCIC’s capacity to offer top-notch training courses at the Academy. - Recent Projects
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Strengthening Border Security in Uganda
In April 2017, IOM and the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control in the Ministry of Internal Affairs completed the Strengthening Border Security in Uganda (SBSU) project.
SBSU, worth USD 1.8 million over 12 months, was funded by the Government of Japan.
Among other achievements, the project:- Designed, built, furnished, equipped and handed over the country’s first Immigration Training Academy, located in Nakasongola district;
- Installed and expanded the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) in eight border crossing points, including a One-Stop Border Point (OSBP);
- Installed two document inspection labs (one at Immigration headquarters and one at Entebbe International Airport);
- Donated four vehicles for border patrols and one vehicle for Immigration’s IT Unit so that they can provide on-site support to MIDAS around the country;
- Trained officials on MIDAS, document inspection and immigration intelligence.
- Related Resources