1. STAKEHOLDERS’ WORKSHOP ON INTEGRATED BORDER MANAGEMENT LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
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
Anderson S. Phiri
Chief Immigration Officer
Department of Immigration
Lusaka, Zambia
5/16/2019

2. INTRODUCTION
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.
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3. MISSION STATEMENT
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.
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4. STRUCTURE
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
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5. ZAMBIA’S BORDERS
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
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6. Cont…. Region Land Water Air Lusaka 1 2 Copperbelt 4 Southern Northern
Zambia has a Total of forty (40)Border Controls which as shown in the table below:
Region
Land
Water
Air
Lusaka 1 2
Copperbelt 4
Southern
Northern 6
Western
Eastern
N/Western
Luapula
Total 29 7
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7. 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
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8. 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.
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9. Cont…
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”.
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10. THE DEPARTMENT’S TRADE FACILITATION ROLE
Passenger and Driver clearance
Issuance of appropriate permits
Visa issuance
Maintenance on Internal Security
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11. ACHIEVEMENTS Cross Border Permit. Temporary Employment Permit
Introduction of a number of new permits in line with COMESA aspirations Protocols. These include;
Cross Border Permit.
Temporary Employment Permit
Transit Permit
Automation of Borders
Immigration website
Development of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
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12. CHALLENGES Inadequate staff strength.
Lack of basic technology and equipment to improve patrols and policing are almost non-existent at most of the Border controls.
Clearing a travelers is basically Labour intensive with little technological underpinning
The porous nature of our borders contributes to the security risks of our country.
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13. CHALLENGES Cont…
Some travelers are unable to complete immigration forms in a timely manner and thus contribute to delays in their clearance.
Lack of communication, cooperation and partnership at the local and regional level of border agencies
Laws in some SADC Countries do not facilitate the free movement of persons.
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.
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14. CHALLENGES Cont…
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.
Lack of trading facilities for foreign traders in member State Countries is causing the locals to complain about foreigners that are found in their markets trading in different merchandise.
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15. PROPORSALS/CONCLUSION
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.
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.
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16. Cont…
There is need for COMESA and SADC Countries to seriously sensitize their citizens about these regional groupings and what they stand for.
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17. CONCLUSION
THANK YOU….
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