Mkinga, Tanga - The Department of Immigration Services (TISD) with the technical support of IOM, the United Nations (UN) Migration Agency and with the financial support from the United Kingdom (UK) Government through Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) have launched the Migrants Registration exercise in the first (Mkinga, Tanga Region) of the 11 border regions in the United Republic of Tanzania on 13 January 2021.

The objective of the project is to enhance the Government’s capacity to address irregular migration and promote humane, orderly and rights-based migration and border management.

Immigration Services Department together with IOM will carry out Biometric Registration of all Irregular Migrants in the regions.

Speaking at the event, the Chief of Mission (CoM) of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Migration Agency, Dr Qasim Sufi said that “I’m honored to be part in the launching event of this extremely important project exercise for both Migrants and the Government of Tanzania as the ultimate goal of the project is to regularize the Status of Irregular Migrants in the country”.

The guest of honor, the District Commissioner for Mkinga, Mr. Yona Mark expressed his gratitude and full support for the registration exercise in Mkinga, a district that hosts most of the Irregular Migrants in Tanga region. In his remarks, he has emphasized the importance of biometric registration exercise in order as will enable the Irregular Migrants to be recognized in line with the Tanzanian law that will enable them among others to access necessary social services available.

On behalf of the Commissioner General for Immigration Services Department, Commissioner of Passport and Citizenship, Mr. Gerald Kihinga stated “the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania developed the second edition of the Comprehensive Migration Management Strategy in Tanzania (COMMIST II) for the purpose of recognizing and electronically register all migrants whose immigration status is not recognized in accordance with the law”.

The event was also graced by the Honorable Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. Ramadani Kailima who appreciated the efforts of the Immigration Services Department (TISD) and IOM with the financial support of the United Kingdom (UK) Government through Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). In his remarks he reiterated that the objective of “the registration exercise is not to deport Migrants back to their countries of origin but rather to recognize them and lawfully regularize their status”.

For More Information Please contact:

Mr. Matteo Rongione - IOM Tanzania, Email: MRONGIONE@iom.int or Mobile +255699617770

Ms. Valda Chali-IOM Tanzania, Email: vchali@iom.int   or Mobile +255 753589039