MIGRATION DIALOGUE FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA (MIDSA) SENIOR OFFICIALS MEETING AND MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE IN WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA, 24-28 JUNE 2019
The United Nations (UN) Migration Agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Director (RD) for the East and Horn of Africa Region, Mr Jeff Labovitz and the IOM Chief of Mission (CoM) to Tanzania, Dr Qasim Sufi attended the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA) Senior Officials Meeting and Ministerial Conference from 24 to 28 June 2019 together with the Delegation from the Government of Tanzania.
The United Republic of Tanzania is one of the founding Member States of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Additionally, Tanzania is a Member State of the East African Community (EAC) which has its Head Quarters (HQ) in Arusha, Tanzania.
Moreover, Tanzania as the next Chair of SADC will host the Head of State' Summit which is expected to take place in Dar Es Salaam from 17 to 18 August 2019.
Traditionally, the Member State which has the SADC chairmanship is the one which hosts the MIDSA Senior Officials Meeting annually while the MIDSA Ministerial Conference is organized biannualy. For this reason, the next MIDSA Senior Official Meeting is expected to take place in the United Republic of Tanzania in 2020.
The theme of this year's MIDSA Senior Officials Meeting and Ministerial Conference was "Regional Migration Governance and Sustainable Development: Priorities for Southern African Region" which was preceded by a one-day preliminary session on identified key thematic issues in the Southern Africa Region with particular focus on Migration Health, Migration Data and Sustainable Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR).
IOM Senior Officials who have attended the MIDSA Senior Officials Meeting and Ministerial Conference in Namibia included: the IOM Director for the International Cooperation and Partnership (ICP) Division, Ms. Jill Helke, the IOM Director for Migration Health Department (MHD), Ms. Jacqueline Weekers, the IOM Director for the Southern African Region, Mr Charles Kwenin, and IOM CoM's to SADC Member States.
"I'm glad to participate in this year's (2019) MIDSA Senior Officials Meeting and Ministerial Conference together with the Delegation from the Government of Tanzania in Namibia as IOM will have an important role to play in assisting the Government to organize the next MIDSA Senior Officials Meeting which is expected to take place in Tanzania next year (2020) said Dr Qasim Sufi, the IOM CoM to Tanzania.