IOM handed over a Mobile Border Control Unit this week to the
Kenyan Ministry for Immigration and Registration of Persons. The
mobile unit is designed for rapid deployment of immigration
personnel and law enforcement officers to Kenya's remote border
areas with no established border control stations and is fully
equipped with up-to-date immigration control facilities and
communication equipment.

The core element of the Unit is a fully equipped office
container, mounted on a 6x4 truck and fitted out with HF/VHF
radios, forensic document examination equipment, a mobile
workstation (laptop) for registering persons and vehicles, as well
as a generator for providing auxiliary power supply while operating
in remote areas.

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Links
alt="" border="0" height="12" hspace="0" src=
"http://mnlintranettest:8091/jahia/webdav/site/myjahiasite/shared/shared/mainsite/graphics/interface/icons_buttons/blue_link_box.gif"> "http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=507"
title="">In Pursuit of the Southern Dream: Victims of Necessity
– Assessment of the irregular movement of men from East
Africa and the Horn to South Africa

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Minister for Immigration and
Registration of Persons Otieno Kajwang acknowledged IOM's efforts
and collaboration with the Ministry in controlling and ensuring the
orderly movement of persons.

"Garissa and Isiolo are some of our most difficult borders to
manage due to the deteriorating security situation in Somalia, with
high numbers of people crossing the borders – mainly
uncontrolled – every day. It is important for us to know who
is moving across our borders in a timely manner and this border
control unit will facilitate our mobility and presence in these
difficult areas."

The IOM Regional Representative for East and Central Africa
Ashraf El Nour emphasized the Organization's support to the
ministry. "Movement of people is fluid and this border control unit
can now enable immigration officials to go where needed. It is a
major milestone in the ministry's effort towards effective border
management for Kenya."

A 2009 IOM study on human smuggling in the East African region
identifies Kenya not only as a source country, but also
predominately as a country of transit for numerous people smuggled
across the borders on their way from East Africa and the Horn of
Africa towards the Republic of South Africa.

See " "http://publications.iom.int/bookstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=507"
target="_blank" title="">In Pursuit of the Southern Dream:
Victims of Necessity Assessment of the Irregular Movement of Men
from East Africa and the Horn to South Africa; April
2009".

In 2008, the study estimates that up to 1,600 men were smuggled
on a monthly basis from Ethiopia and Somalia through Kenya on their
way south, with many more trying to cross the borders irregularly
by their own means.

Provision of the Border Control Unit are part of overall IOM
efforts to support the Ministry of Immigration to improve
management of Kenya's porous borders.

The support was provided through IOM's Capacity Building in
Migration Management Programme, funded by the Danish
government.

Migration management is a key concern for East African Community
countries – (the regional inter-governmental organization
including the the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Uganda, the
United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Rwanda and Republic of
Burundi) – in view of their objective to implement a Common
Market Protocol.

For more information, please contact:

Franz Prutsch

IOM Kenya

E-mail: "mailto:fprutsch@iom.int">fprutsch@iom.int