Guinea - In Conakry on 27 April, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) launched an integrated border management project in Guinea and Mali. The main objective of the project is to improve border security and control through enhancing the border management capacities of the Governments of Guinea and Mali.

The one-year project, funded by the Government of Japan, will be implemented in seven localities in Guinea (Conakry, Kankan, Mali, Sigiri, Dinguiraye, Koubia and Tougue) and three localities in Mali (Bamako, Koulikoro and Kangaba).

The launch was attended by representatives from the Governments of Guinea and Mali, as well as Hisanobu Hasama, Ambassador of Japan to Guinea, who assured his country’s support to both governments.

During the launch, IOM Guinea Chief of Mission Fatou Diallo Ndiaye highlighted the complex security situation in the Sahel region, as well as strong willingness from both Governments to address challenges related to cross-border movements.

“Despite efforts to ensure that information on cross-border migration is effectively captured, some gaps still exist in the border management and technical capacities in both countries,” said Ndiaye.

Activities within the border management project include: border control posts; installation of Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) at the border posts; border management and MIDAS training; and cross-border knowledge-sharing meetings between Guinean and Malian border management officials.

Since 2015, the Government of Japan has supported IOM’s interventions in Guinea and the surrounding region following the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

For further information, please contact IOM Guinea. Yohei Komura, Tel: +224 628 47 74 16, Email: ykomura@iom.int, or Lucas Chandellier, Tel: +224 628 33 86 53, Email: lchandellier@iom.int