The European Union through the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) has reaffirmed its support to COMESA to enable the Regional Economic Community have an effective and coordinated management of migration and mobility in the framework of a health crisis. The organization will also help COMESA and its Member States to better communicate with stakeholders at border points during such a crisis.

The COVID-19 pandemic situation is one such health crisis that the ICMPD would like to work with COMESA as a practical way of intervening in the migration and health sector.

ICMPD Migration EU Expertise (MIEUX) Focal Point Naike Chancy made this reaffirmation during a virtual meeting between his team and the COMESA Secretariat COVID-19 Task Force led by the Assistant Secretary General for Programmes Amb. Dr Kipyego Cheluget.

Mr Chancy stated that in addition, his organization will work with COMESA to strengthen its capacities and migration authorities in Member States to manage migration and mobility at the borders in the framework of a health crisis.

To kick start the activities, the two teams discussed how the series of online meetings with the Secretariat and Member States will be conducted to assess the training and information needs regarding the management of migration/mobility at the borders during this health crisis of COVID-19.

“The aim of this activity will be to get a better understanding from key stakeholders in order to assess the general context, roles of the stakeholders, existing capacities and needs of the stakeholders, ongoing projects in the region to ensure complementarities, “ Mr Chancy added.

Dr Cheluget briefed the ICMPD delegation about activities of the taskforce and measures implemented by the Secretariat since March 2020 when the organsation migrated to off-site operations.

The stakeholders to be contacted may include relevant divisions/units of the COMESA Secretariat, the COMESA Business Council (CBC), the COMESA Federation of National Association of Women in Business (COMFWB), EU Delegation and international organisations implementing projects with COMESA such as International Organisation for Migration and the International Trade Center (ITC).

In addition, meetings will be organised with the relevant authorities of the COMESA Member States involved in the pre-selected pilot border posts in DRC, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, including border agencies and entities training border officials (training departments/academies); as well as with the local chapters of the COMESA-SADC Cross Border Traders Association (CBTA).