EAC members develop e-immigration policy
Arusha. The East African Community (EAC) has started developing a regional policy on e-immigration, it was announced here this week.
E-immigration aims at improving integrated border management and data collection of migration movements in the bloc. The initiative is also intended to build capacity of Immigration officials and staff of other border management authorities.
“E-immigration will fast-track the free movement of persons in the Community,” stated the secretary general, Liberat Mfumukeko, on Wednesday. He revealed this when he received credentials from Mr Mohamed Abdiker, the regional director of the East Africa and Horn of Africa for the International Organisation for Migration.
The EAC boss added that digitalising immigration processes would also assist the authorities to contain security concerns.
Mr Mfumukeko requested the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to support the EAC secretariat to implement Immigration functions that promoted safe and orderly migration of people. Mr Abdiker promised to assist the EAC in training and capacity building of border management officials.
The officials, he stressed, were needed to fight cross border crime, especially human smuggling and trafficking.
He urged the EAC partner states to ratify the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Right to Residence and Right to Establishment of the agreement towards an African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
