Zim, SA revive migration indaba

ZIMBABWE and South Africa on Friday revived the Cross- Border Migration Management Stakeholders Forum’s quarterly meetings which had stopped due to Covid-19.

The forum was established around 2015 and is being facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) under the Africa Regional Migration Program (ARMP).

Speaking after the forum’s meeting held in Beitbridge yesterday, the Consul-General to Johannesburg Mrs Melody Chaurura said the forum was crucial.

“Today’s meeting was a revival of the all stakeholders’ forum that used to happen quarterly before the Covid19 pandemic struck us,” she said.

“As usual the meeting was attended by stakeholders from South Africa and Zimbabwe including government agencies, immigration, social services, the police, and United Nations Agencies among others.

“The whole idea is to enhance and improve efficiency and cooperation in activities so that systems from both countries speak to each other’s”.

IOM Zimbabwe’s head of governance and development unit, Ms Esther Wiesmann said the main objective was to discuss issues around migration that are affecting both countries.

She said some of the issues were the movement of vulnerable immigrants, including unaccompanied children.

“Covid-19 has compounded the complicated socio-economic factors that characterise migration in Africa.

“Engagements such as these, will assist countries to better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to migration flows related emergencies and crisis,” she added.