The project proposed builds on a specific request from the Government of Botswana, in response to identified gaps in migration management capacity and constraints of immigration officials in Botswana.
The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of Botswana’s immigration services and its staff to manage the borders more efficiently, by institutionalizing capacity building in migration management within existing government structures. It is proposed that a contextualized training curriculum be developed specifically for Botswana dealing with migration management practice and passport verification procedures designed to counter irregular migration (as well as building capacity to tackle trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants) to and from Botswana. The curriculum will further be used to train immigration officials as trainers with the aim to further develop peer expertise at borders and at headquarters. IOM will provide support throughout the process, utilising the technical expertise of the Africa Capacity Building Centre, while in close coordination and collaboration with the Government of Botswana. In addition, to institutionalize the migration management capacity within existing Government structures, IOM will establish and equip a National Training Centre which will become responsible for further capacity building after the completion of this project. The Government of Botswana will identify and allocate a suitable location for the National Training Centre.