The United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in United Republic of Tanzania, Mr Alvaro Rodriguez on his visit of the United Nations Kigoma Joint Programme (KJP) in Kigoma Region, visited the IOM Makere Processing Centre, today 19 June 2019.

He was accompanied by a large delegation comprising the Representative of the United Nations Women Programme, Ms Hodan Adow, staff from RCO Office, colleagues from UNHCR Kigoma plus National Authorities both from Dodoma and Kigoma i.e. District Comissioner.

At the IOM Makere Processing, the UN RC and his large delegation of circa 30 members were welcomed by the IOM Chief of Mission to Tanzania Dr Qasim Sufi and the Head of Sub-Office of the IOM Kasulu, Mr Kwenda Nyararai and Resettlment Programme Staff i.e. from both Operation and Medical teams. After a short briefing in the Conference room, the UN RC and his Delegation toured the varies units of the IOM Makere Processing Centre which is built with funding from the United States Resettlement Admission Programme (USRAP).

The Makere Processing Centre that was built in 2017 became fully functional at the beginning of 2018.

Currently it has Interview, Medical, Cultural Orientation, Catering and Accommodation units that enable the different partners to smoothly perform the varies duties for the resettlement programme starting from Adjudication, Medical Screening, Immunization, Cultural Orientation, Pre-Departure Medical Screening and Treatment.

Transportation of processed Refugees from Makere to Kasulu is done by road and from Kasulu to Dar Es Salaam by national flights while from Dar Es Salaam to the resettlement countries by International Carriers.

The IOM Makere Processing Centre is set up for resettling a caseload of 50,000 Refugees in a period of 10 years into resettlement countries I.e. USA, Canada, Australia etc. So far it has resettled more than 3000 Refugees into the resettlement countries.

"In his welcome note, the IOM Chief of Mission, Dr Qasim Sufi thanked the donor, the Government of USA that provided funding and the Government of Tanzania that provided land for the centre. He added that, resettlement is one of the three durable solutions that provides excellent opportunities to Refugees and at the same time that relieve the refugees hosting countries from the heavy burdens of refugees. It is therefore an excellent burden sharing durable solution among primary and third countries hosting refugee populations, he concluded".