Immigration and Border Governance

The Immigration and Border Governance (IBG) Team, comprised of a core group of specialists with substantial technical expertise and backgrounds in border management and governance, operates globally from strategic locations in the field as well as from IOM headquarters and regional offices. It offers guidance and expertise to governments aspiring to improve their migration, border management, governance, and operational procedures.

IBG activities in the East and Horn of Africa Region are focused on helping governments align their action plans and strategies, develop and create policy, legislation, administrative structures, and operational systems. We also provide the human resources necessary to respond effectively to diverse migration challenges and to institute appropriate migration governance, especially in emerging and evolving contexts such as migration, ports of entry management, trade, health and migration, one-stop border posts, transnational organized crime, with a specific focus migrant smuggling, human trafficking, document integrity and border management information systems (BMIS).

Such activities are planned and created in partnership with the requesting IOM member state and other international key stakeholders, UN partners, public enterprises, and interlocutors. We work collaboratively to identify needs, determine priorities, identify risk areas, and formulate and deliver relevant interventions.

Emerging criminal activities on the high seas and inland waterways are increasing at an alarming rate and becoming more complex. The threats to human life posed by migrant smuggling and human trafficking, impacting national and regional security and the overall influence it has on the economic development of the region, cannot be understated.

In support of the safe, orderly, and regular movement of goods and persons, the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Immigration and Border Governance (IBG) Division supports Member States in the improvement of maritime security by providing technical guidance on appropriate policies, legislation, administrative structures, and operational systems.

IBG activities within the East and Horn of Africa region include: 

• Ongoing Border Assessments 
• Development Of Member States' Border And Government Agencies' Capacities Within The Realm Of Identity Management And Civil Registration 
• Training And Capacity Building Programs On Migration Management, Border Controls 
• Travel Documents Verification And Related Issuance Systems 
• Travel Document Inspection-PEPM 
• Data Management, Biometrics Support, And Risk Analysis 
• Visa Policy Development 
• Integrated Border Management (Development Of Sops) 
• Ports Of Entry Response During Pandemics 
• Countering Transnational Organized Crime, Specifically Counter Migrant Smuggling, Human Trafficking, 
• Humanitarian Border Management.