MOGADISHU, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched a regional program in Somalia to combat migrant smuggling, document fraud, and transnational organized crime.
The IOM said in a statement that the three-year Regional Counter-Smuggling Program spans Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia and targets criminal networks that exploit weak border management, limited institutional capacity, and poor information-sharing to facilitate irregular migration, leaving migrants vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, smuggling, and trafficking.
Officially launched in Mogadishu on Thursday by Somalia's Minister of Internal Security Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail, the program is designed to strengthen the operational capacity of national security institutions.
It focuses on modernizing border management, upgrading airport security systems, and expanding international cooperation to support the country's stabilization efforts.
"Protecting our borders is fundamental to safeguarding Somalia's security, facilitating legitimate travel and trade, and preventing transnational crime," the minister said.
Ismail said secure borders and airports are a cornerstone of Somalia's national security strategy, emphasizing that the government is prioritizing investments in well-trained, professional security forces capable of tackling evolving threats.
According to the IOM, the program will focus on strengthening airport border management capacities, enhancing the detection of fraudulent travel and identity documents, supporting intelligence-led operations, improving inter-agency coordination, and promoting protection-sensitive responses to migrant smuggling and related crimes. ■