Home affairs will need an estimated amount of N$140 million over a period of five years for the implementation of identified activities under its newly-launched migration policy.
The policy aims to serve as a guiding document for enhancing well-coordinated migration management and its mainstreaming into national development frameworks, strategies and plans.
Home affairs deputy minister Daniel Kashikola launched the policy yesterday, and said there are issues requiring government intervention and action for their resolution.
According to him, migration is one of the issues that no government can leave to chance as it has an important bearing on the socio-economic development of society.
As part of the process of policy formulation, Namibia first produced the migration profile, which was launched on 17 June 2016.
The profile identified several migration issues, policy gaps and options that served as guides in the development of this migration policy.
It recommended that there was a need for Namibia to develop policies to put into effect migration profiles.
Cabinet granted approval to the then Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security to lead a stakeholders’ committee in drafting an overarching national migration policy for Namibia.
The committee comprised various entities, and started its work in November 2018. By June 2019, it presented its first draft to stakeholders and donors for validation.
Kashikola said during the validation process, several comments and inputs were collected, which comments and inputs were accordingly incorporated into the policy.
The policy identified the gaps and proposed strategies which will be employed to enable the country to manage migration better, and even use it to advance its developmental goals.
The policy also has a five-year action plan with activities and estimated budgets, hence the need for N$140 million for its implementation.
Thus, the politician noted that the continued support of different development partners will be required to ensure success.