Makere, the United Republic of Tanzania - 02 January 2020 – An important Government delegation led by Permanent Secretaries from Ministries of: Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation and Home Affairs, Dr Faraji Mnyepe and Major General Mr. Jakob Kingu respectively visited the IOM Resettlement Processing Centre (RPC) in Makere on 02 January 2020. Other members of their delegation included: Mr Sudi Mwakibasi, the Director of Refugee Services Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Jumanne Singani, the Deputy Zonal Coordinator, Refugee Services Kigoma and Commissioner Said Kamugisha, the Head of Legal Services from Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS) Kigoma.

The visit of the Government delegation to the IOM RPC in Makere was part of their official field mission to Kigoma region as it processes the resettlement of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC’s) Refugees to third countries i.e. the United States of America (USA), Canada and Australia. Resettlement is one of three durable solutions for Refugees i.e. Voluntary Return, Local Reintegration and Resettlement. Kigoma region hosts almost all refugees in the country who are predominantly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi in three refugee camps i.e. Nyarugusu, Nduta and Mtendeli.

The delegation was welcomed and briefed on the IOM Makere RPC main functions within the resettlement process by a team from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Migration Agency led by Ms. Mira Simovska, the IOM Tanzania Head of Operations, Ms. Suwaluck Nilboran, Officer in Charge (OIC) of the IOM Kasulu Sub-office and other IOM Operations and Migration Health Division (MHD) staff.

During their visit to the MPC, the delegation had the opportunity to see the Medical Health Assessment Center (MHAC) including the modern x-ray unit and laboratory. IOM Dr Nicholaus Nderero provided the delegation with an overview of the health screening process to different resettlement countries. Additionally, the delegation visited classrooms where Cultural Orientation (CO) sessions are conducted for refugees accepted for resettlement to different countries i.e. Australia, Canada and Australia as well as interview rooms where adjudication interviews are being held. Lastly, the delegation had a brief visit to the guesthouse in the MPC, which has currently the accommodation capacity of up to 43 guests including IOM staff, colleagues from partner agencies while conducting different activities within the Refugee’s Resettlement processing.

Speaking on behalf of the Government delegation, Major General Mr. Kingu and Dr Mnyepe have expressed their appreciation to IOM as the UN Migration Agency for its technical support to the Government for managing and promoting safe and orderly Migration in the country.

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania provided the land for building the Makere Processing Centre (MPC) while the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) from the United States of America (USA) provided funding for building it through a ten-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

For more information, please contact:

Ms. Mira Simovska at msimovska@iom.int or telephone +255 682 887 018

Ms. Suwaluck Nilboran at snilboran@iom.int or telephone +255 682 916 676