Republic of Zambia Ministry of Home Affairs Department

Republic of Zambia Ministry of Home Affairs Department of Immigration THE ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF IMMIGRATION IN TRADE FACILITATION AT THE BORDERS STAKEHOLDERS’ WORKSHOP ON INTEGRATED BORDER MANAGEMENT LUSAKA, ZAMBIA 1/29/2022 Anderson S. Phiri Chief Immigration Officer Department of Immigration Lusaka, Zambia 1

INTRODUCTION u The Department of Immigration is one of the public institutions which falls under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is the sole Department that presides over all Immigration matters including the production and management of immigration documents countrywide and its mandate is drawn from an Act of Parliament number 18 of 2010. 1/29/2022 2

MISSION STATEMENT u To facilitate and regulate the movement of persons entering and leaving the country and control the stay of immigrants and visitors in order to contribute to internal security and sustainable social – economic development. 1/29/2022 3

STRUCTURE u The Department is headed by a Chief Immigration Officer and is made up of the Headquarters, nine (09) Regional Offices, thirty six (36) Border controls, four (4) International Airports, thirty nine (39) Internal Offices and eight (8) Missions Abroad 1/29/2022 4

ZAMBIA’S BORDERS u Zambia is a landlocked country bordered with Tanzania to the northeast, Malawi to the east, Mozambique and Zimbabwe to the southeast, Botswana and Namibia to the south, Angola on the west and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the northwest 1/29/2022 5

Cont…. Zambia has a Total of forty (40)Border Controls which as shown in the table below: Region Lusaka Copperbelt Southern Northern Western Eastern N/Western Luapula 1/29/2022 Total Land 1 4 2 6 4 2 29 Water 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 2 7 Air 1 1 1 0 0 4 6

TRADE FACILITATION AND IMMIGRATION § Trade facilitation can be described as the simplification, harmonization, automation and speeding up of the international flow of people and goods across borders 1/29/2022 7

TRADE FACILITATION AND IMMIGRATION § § It has become a topical and significant issue for developing countries like Zambia because it is acknowledged that there is a strong link between increased trade, economic growth and poverty reduction The fact that any attempts to facilitate trade inevitably involve the aspect of international flow of people makes the role of Immigration Agencies critical in its realization. 1/29/2022 8

Cont… u The Department of Immigration takes cognizance of this link and as such its trade facilitation role resonates through its mission statement which is “To facilitate and regulate the movement of persons entering and leaving the country and control the stay of immigrants and visitors in order to contribute to internal security and sustainable social - economic development”. 1/29/2022 9

THE DEPARTMENT’S TRADE FACILITATION ROLE u Passenger u Issuance u Visa and Driver clearance of appropriate permits issuance u Maintenance 1/29/2022 on Internal Security 10

ACHIEVEMENTS Introduction of a number of new permits in line with COMESA aspirations Protocols. These include; u Cross Border Permit. u Temporary Employment Permit u Transit Permit Automation of Borders u Immigration website u Development of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) u 1/29/2022 11

CHALLENGES u Inadequate staff strength. u Lack of basic technology and equipment to improve patrols and policing are almost nonexistent at most of the Border controls. u Clearing a travelers is basically Labour intensive with little technological underpinning u The porous nature of our borders contributes to the security risks of our country. 1/29/2022 12

CHALLENGES Cont… u Some travelers are unable to complete immigration forms in a timely manner and thus contribute to delays in their clearance. u Lack of communication, cooperation and partnership at the local and regional level of border agencies u Laws in some SADC Countries do not facilitate the free movement of persons. u Lack of awareness of citizens from SADC member countries about their rights and responsibilities leads many to use unapproved routes in most cases without any travel documents. 1/29/2022 13

CHALLENGES Cont… u Lack of sensitization by the Regional Groupings e. g. COMESA and SADC about free movements of persons in the Region is causing citizens to react and resent the presence of foreigners on their soils. u Lack of trading facilities foreign traders in member State Countries is causing the locals to complain about foreigners that are found in their markets trading in different merchandise. 1/29/2022 14

PROPORSALS/CONCLUSION u There is need to conduct a thorough need assessment for a comprehensive national border management system in order to develop a border management system that meets the needs of the Department and the same to be replicated at all border controls. u The above can only go so far in enhancing trade facilitation because trade inevitably involves more than one country and as such un-harmonized and varying Trade and Immigration laws remain the most critical hurdle in trade facilitation efforts. It is therefore critical to champion the harmonization of Immigration Legislation in the Region. 1/29/2022 15

Cont… u There is need for COMESA and SADC Countries to seriously sensitize their citizens about these regional groupings and what they stand for. 1/29/2022 16

CONCLUSION THANK YOU…. 1/29/2022 17