UN Migration Agency, Somalia Train Frontline Immigration Officials

Mogadishu – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, in partnership with the Immigration and Naturalization Directorate of Somalia (IND), hosted a three-month long capacity building exercise, training 71 migration officials to enhance client service delivery and operations at the Mogadishu International Airport (MIA).

The training included customer care and basic English language skills, and finished this last week (04/02).

“Immigration officers’ role at the POE is valuable work; they are stationed at the check points and responsible to implement the country’s policy as well as regulations,” explained said Col. Mohammed Adam Jimcale (Kofi), Director General of the IND. “Foreign and domestic clients are in direct contact with our officers and it is to this end that IOM has supported the officers to improve their communication skills. I thank our government counterparts, the donor and IOM.”

The trained immigration officers, all based at the MIA, benefited from one-month intensive classroom-based and on-the-job training. Apart from the adult learning approaches employed to optimize learning, the trainees also had access to an online platform where additional course material and videos were posted for their use.

Training was tailored to mirror the typical scenarios and conversations that commonly occur between travellers and immigration officers at MIA, rendering the lessons relevant and practical for adoption at work.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, IOM Somalia Immigration and Border Management Programme Officer Stephen Matete said: “IOM continues to work with the Federal Government, to improve essential migration management capacities through training of hundreds of immigration and security officers, provision of equipment and IT systems for passenger inspections, development of the department through diaspora placements and rehabilitation of major regional ports-of-entry.”

Immigration officers are at the front line in identifying and dealing with crimes related to illegal immigration. Enhanced communication among officers enables them to effectively enforce immigration law and best protect the interests of the country as they carry out IND’s mission at their posts of duty.

The close to 4,000 mixed migrants who arrive at, depart from and transit through Mogadishu International Airport each week are to benefit from enhanced service delivery at the Point of Entry.

For more information, please contact: IOM Somalia Programme Support Unit at IOM Somalia, Tel: +251 715 990600, Email: iomsomalia@iom.int