Zimbabwe Continues To Face Increasing Challenges Of Irregular Migration Flows

The Home Affairs Ministry has said Zimbabwe is experiencing increasing challenges of irregular migration flows mainly from the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region.

Home Affairs secretary Aaron Nhepera, told delegates at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) conference in Victoria Falls on Tuesday that most of the migrants and asylum seekers were running away from conflict and instability in their countries. He said:

Over the past two decades, however, the country has largely become a source country for both regular and irregular migrants to countries in the region such as South Africa, Botswana and Namibia and to countries further afield such as the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand.

Zimbabwe continues to face increasing challenges of irregular migration flows involving particularly asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors and separated migrant children from the horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region who transit through Zimbabwe, quite often, to South Africa or who seek asylum in Zimbabwe due to conflicts and instability in their home countries.

As a result, the government recognises the importance of a coherent policy response to address the challenges related to these mixed migration flows.

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Nhepera also said the government had developed a National Diaspora Policy and a National Labour Migration Policy to address migration challenges.

Nhepera said that once launched, the policy would require technical and financial support from development partners like the IOM and United Nations during implementation.

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