Myanmar - Myanmar currently is undergoing a fast-paced “opening-up” that has seen a major acceleration of trade, migration flows and integration into the global economy and created a growing need to strengthen immigration and border management processes. To this end, IOM and the Myanmar Ministry of Immigration and Population (MOIP) are working together to produce the Ministry’s first immigration officer induction training package.

The package includes a curriculum and syllabi designed specifically for the Myanmar context and accompanied by an instructor’s guide and related training materials. Last week, 30 selected MOIP officers from across Myanmar took part in a training of trainers (ToT) in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, to build the capacity of the Ministry to conduct training using the new package in-house. The newly trained officers now have the opportunity to present to their colleagues with the assistance of IOM through a series of four end-user trainings implemented at different border check points during September.

A total of 14 participants from the ToT presented at the first two end-user trainings held in Nay Pyi Taw and Yangon between 11 and 16 September. The Canadian Ambassador, Mark McDowell, presented certificates and spoke at the closing ceremony of the Yangon training, expressing his strong support for the collaboration between IOM and the MOIP.

The trainings, attended by frontline officials from the MOIP stationed at Myanmar’s international airports and land border crossings, aim to increase awareness of migration issues, provide key immigration knowledge and skills to carry out Immigration activities, and enable new recruits to understand the norms and ethics that guide the functions in the management of migration.

“This training program will greatly benefit the Ministry in better preparing our frontline immigration officers to manage our borders,” said Director-General of the Department of Immigration and National Registration, U Maung Maung Than.

Deputy Director, Kyaw Myint, added: “The Department of Immigration and National Registration is very grateful for the excellent support provided by IOM in this crucial area.”

This activity is part of IOM's on-going border management capacity building programme, funded by the Canadian Government. This package is part of a project under which IOM has also conducted an IT network and reporting tools assessment and is currently implementing a border management IT system upgrade.

"This training package will equip the MOIP with the tools necessary to provide quality induction training to newly recruited officers as and when required. In doing so, it will contribute to ensuring that Myanmar immigration officers have the necessary knowledge and skills to better manage Myanmar’s extensive land and sea borders," said IOM Chief of Mission in Myanmar, Kieran Gorman-Best. “We are delighted to see our trainers from IOM being joined by representatives from the MOIP as well as the governments of Canada and Malaysia.”

For further information please contact Kieran Gorman-Best, IOM Myanmar, Tel: +95 94317 1025, Email: kgormanbest@iom.int