Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), through the Better Migration Management (BMM) Programme, conducted a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) course for 17 border management officials drawn from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. This took place from 7 to 10 November 2023, in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The BMM programme is funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

The training, which was facilitated in collaboration with IOM’s African Capacity Building Center (ACBC), familiarised participants with the training manual on Integrated Border Management (IBM). This manual can be used by border personnel as a reference for good border governance practices, mechanisms, and processes for cooperation at all levels within and between States. Utilising the manual also ensures adherence to the relevant international norms and standards for the protection and assistance of vulnerable migrants and victims of trafficking in the region. 

The ToT provided participants with the skills required to enhance their daily border management activities, cascade this knowledge down to fellow officers and integrate modules on human rights principles and ethical considerations into the training regimes of their national training institutions and academies. 

The engagement is part of an ongoing effort to institutionalize training on IBM for border management officials across the region by fostering a community of practice. By cultivating a community of proficient trainers, this ToT contributes to more effective and sustainable border management in the region. In addition, IOM - through the BMM programme - plans to conduct IBM training in the upcoming months at the country level, utilizing this pool of trainers. 

Mr Japheth Ogalo from the Border Management Secretariat in Kenya shared his thoughts, stating "My key takeaway revolves around understanding how IBM works, emphasising the importance of coordination and collaboration within agencies and on an international scale. This mirrors the Kenyan model of Coordinated Border Management (CBM), emphasizing a comprehensive whole-of-government approach with a specific focus on inter-agency integration. The use of One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) is a practical example of this collaboration at the regional level. I also learned that for IBM to function well, we need to improve legal and regulatory frameworks, how organizations are structured, and how we communicate and share information." 

The BMM Programme, financed by the EU and BMZ, has the objective to improve safe, orderly, and regular management of migration within and from the Horn of Africa region by applying a human rights-based approach. The programme is implemented by British Council, CIVIPOL, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, IOM, and UNODC in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. 

For further information and enquiries, please contact: 

Leon Buyu, Senior Programme Assistant (BMM)
Immigration and Border Governance
IOM Regional Office for East and Horn of Africa
Email: lbuyu@iom.int