South Sudan – IOM and the South Sudan Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration (DNPI) conducted a workshop on 29 June for law enforcement and civilian agencies to improve security at the Juba International Airport. The one-day training aimed to promote interagency cooperation as a means to enhancing safety, facilitating the transport of persons and goods and enforcing border controls.

IOM and DNPI brought together staff involved throughout the entire airport operation to improve standard operating procedures and define roles and responsibilities as guided by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Located amid an insecure and volatile region, South Sudan requires effective airport operations to promote the safety of travelers in the country.

“We must appreciate the importance of working together to improve border control and mitigate security risks,” said IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission David Derthick.

The workshop helped build the foundation for developing plans and procedures for aviation and airport security. The course included simulation exercises that prompted participants to devise and evaluate courses of action in the event of airport emergencies.

“As South Sudan is a young nation, sometimes agencies at the airport operate in an uncoordinated manner and criminals look for loopholes. There is need for capacity building, such as this training, to create awareness about international standards,” General Simon Majur, Director for Administration at DNPI noted in his opening remarks. 

In the coming months, IOM will conduct a course on facilitation and border control with ICAO-certified trainers and continue border management trainings, which will also address prevention of human trafficking and adherence to International Humanitarian Law.

IOM remains committed to ensuring humane and orderly migration while facilitating the movement of goods and securing the territorial integrity of South Sudan. With support from the Government of Japan, IOM has implemented immigration and border management projects, focusing on enhancing capacities of the Government of the Republic of South Sudan, since 2010.

For further information, please contact Ashley McLaughlin at IOM South Sudan, Tel: +211 922 405 716, Email: amclaughlin@iom.int.