South Sudan – The Uganda–South Sudan border at Nimule town is the busiest land border in South Sudan, with over 8,000 people passing through each month. The border is the lifeline for supplies en-route to Juba, the country’s capital, and other parts of the country. The border points is a crucial entry to the route leading to Sudan in the north, as well as a transit point for irregular migrants, including smuggling and trafficking victims. 

To ensure effective management of this crucial border, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and South Sudan’s Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Immigration (DNPI) of the Ministry of Interior, organized two sessions of three-day training on border management from 24–29 July 2017 in Nimule. The training included 41 DNPI officers, including three female officers, who work at borders with Uganda, namely Nimule border and Kaya border.  

The participants learned about immigration and border management, as well as critical topics such as transnational crime, interagency cooperation, passenger processing and human rights. The officers had the opportunity to discuss challenges they face through their daily work and actively exchange their experiences.

The training in Nimule follows a successful border management training held in Kapoeta from 23–26 June 2017 for 18 DNPI officers who work at borders in Nadapal and Tsertenya and the immigration office in Kapoeta.

IOM South Sudan has been supporting the Government of South Sudan in enhancing border and migration management of the country since 2010. The current project is funded by the Government of Japan and targets capacity building of law enforcement officers and improvement of infrastructure for better border and migration management. 

For further information, please contact: Ashley McLaughlin at IOM South Sudan, Tel: +211 912 379 793, Email: amclaughlin@iom.int.