By Innocent Vuga

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has handed over disinfection and data management equipment to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to strengthen border management in Uganda. 

The equipment included two disinfection booths and five laptop computers, worth at least USD 37,300 (UGX 140 Million). They were formally received by Brigadier Johnson Namanya, the Commissioner for Citizenship and Passport Control in the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC). Namanya represented the DCIC Director, Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita-Gowa. The IOM Chief of Mission, Mr Sanusi Tejan Savage, was represented by the interim manager for Immigration and Border Management (IBM), Richard M Kavuma.

The disinfection booths will improve hand hygiene and temperature screening at Goli point of entry, Nebbi district, at the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The computers, meanwhile, will support DCIC’s information and data management processes.

The equipment was procured by IOM for DCIC, under various projects funded by donors such as the Government of Japan.
 
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Brig Namanya said the the support from IOM and the donors, which has continued since 2016, had been instrumental in building DCIC’s human resource and logistical capacities. 
“Support such as this has helped in interception of persons smuggling drugs, human trafficking, money laundering, forging documents and many other operations,” he said.

For his part, Kavuma commended DCIC and the wider Ministry of Internal Affairs for maintaining a great working relationship with IOM, which is premised on mutual interest. 
“The issues that IOM seeks to address under Immigration and Border Management and the people we are trying to serve are the same as those that DCIC is mandated to serve. This equipment is a demonstration of that great relationship,” he said.  

As the UN migration agency, IOM is increasingly called upon by member states to assist in addressing complex border management challenges. Thus, across the world, the organization’s IBM division helps states to improve policy, legislation, operational systems, human resources, and administrative and technical structures.

Within the East African Community, a robust yet progressive migration and border management system is of interest due to objectives such as implementation of the Common Market Protocol, regional stability, and effective response to pandemics.

In recent years, IOM has variously supported DCIC under various projects. This support included installation of the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) in eight border posts, donation of boats, vehicles and ICT and border management equipment, and construction of the Immigration Training Academy in Nakasongola. In 2021, IOM supported DCIC to establish its first Maritime unit, with 11 officers.  Since September, IOM and DCIC are part of a three-year regional project, funded by the USA Department of State, to counter transnational threats on Lake Victoria in Uganda, Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania.  

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For more information / media enquiries, please contact IOM Uganda Public Information Officer at ugandapiu@iom.int | Tel: +256 312 263 210 | +256 772 709 917