Mwanza -The International Organization for Migration (IOM) – the United Nations Migration Agency – in collaboration with Environment Division of the Vice President’s Office has delivered a two-day training to government officials and non-government actors on Migration, Environment and Climate Change (MECC).

The main objective of the training was to introduce the Migration, Environment and Climate Change Nexus and enhance understanding of relevant government officials and other stakeholders on policy frameworks and legal approaches on environmental migration.

The training brought together Environmental Officers, Immigration Officers, Livestock Officers, Legal Officers and Officers from NGO’s and academic institutions from Mwanza and Shinyanga region. Moreover, the training was facilitated by Officers from IOM and the Vice President’s Office.

Mwanza’s Regional Administrative Secretary, Mr. Ngussa Samike, commented that “environmental and climate changes affect the livelihood of the communities in Mwanza and Shinyanga hence exacerbate the migration of people to other locations in search of better livelihood options”.

Mr. Samike encouraged the participants to utilize the knowledge and understanding acquired to educate their community on environmental conservation including planting of trees and sustainable fishing practices.

As a result of the two day training, the participants mentioned their intention to further educate their communities on environmental conservation, in order to reduce the impact of environmental and climate change which distresses the ecosystem, as the entire community livelihood depends on.

IOM in collaboration with Environment Division of the Vice President’s Office, plans to conduct other two MECC trainings, in Kigoma and Dodoma regions, before the end of the year 2021.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Reuben Mbugi at rmbugi@iom.int  or tel.: +255 718 983 910