Nairobi, Kenya - 30 September 2024 - The Chair of the International Organization (IOM)’s Council and Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland, H.E. Dr. Katharina Stasch, has visited Zimbabwe and South Africa, as part of Council’s mandate to determine, examine and review the policies, programmes and activities of IOM which include saving lives, protecting people on the move, and creating regular pathways for migrants. 

IOM initiatives in both countries emphasize key areas such as migration health, the return and reintegration of migrants, migration governance, and other crucial migration-related issues. In line with Dr. Stasch's priorities for her Chairmanship, the visit aimed at gaining a deeper insight into how these programmes address and respond to concerns around gender, climate change and migration, and cooperation between different agencies.

In Zimbabwe, the Council Chair met with migrants returning from South Africa, being supported by IOM to reintegrate back into their communities. The Chair spent time with women who shared their migration stories and their hopes for the future with reintegration and livelihoods support from IOM. Dr. Stasch also met with community workers – acting as agents of change – supported by IOM, and public health clinics promoting and providing access to sexual and reproductive health services for migrants and sex workers, and vulnerable people in border communities with large numbers of migrants, including Beitbridge, Zimbabwe; Musina, South Africa, and Nkomazi near the South Africa-Mozambique-Eswatini borders. Dr. Stasch, accompanied by IOM and staff from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, visited the Beitbridge Border Post, with South Africa’s Border Management Agency – showcasing interagency cooperation in promoting regular migration pathways.

The border tour was followed by a visit to Musina, South Africa, where the Chair was given the opportunity to listen to the concerns of sex workers during an outreach event hosted by implementing partner Future Families. In Nkomazi, South Africa, the Chair met with communities at the forefront of migration-related challenges, with undocumented migrants in the area facing barriers to accessing essential services. IOM provides services to migrants, sex workers, and vulnerable youth, along with host communities in partnership with Thembalethu Nkomazi and Save the Children South Africa. This has improved coordination and fostered a better understanding of migration and health among IOM’s partners including, government, civil society, and community leaders, including traditional leaders.

In Komatipoort, South Africa, the Chair met with community workers delivering health-related services at the Komatipoort Health Clinic, which serves many migrants from Mozambique along with the host community. The Chair was briefed on the services provided and the challenges faced at the facility and by the community. During a door-to-door health promotion campaign by the agents of change in the Orlando Informal Settlement, Dr. Stasch was briefed on some of the challenges faced by the community, such as high teenage pregnancy rates, school absence, and parents having to travel back to their countries of origin along with their children to obtain birth certificates for children born in South Africa. The community outreach work is carried out by community workers who are cognizant of the specific challenges faced in the areas they serve – in a tangible display of ‘Ubuntu’, the African philosophy of humanity towards others for the benefit of the greater community.

On the last day of her visit, Dr. Stasch visited the Migration Health Assessment Centre in Pretoria, South Africa, where she met refugees whom IOM supports with health assessments to enable them to travel. IOM also provides pre-departure orientation to thousands of migrants each year. A focus group discussion with women being supported by IOM, and a session on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) awareness was also held to further highlight IOM’s programming in the two countries.

“As IOM Council Chair, I went to South Africa and Zimbabwe to learn more about IOM’s operations in these countries and in the wider region. Germany, as both a major donor to the United Nations and host country, is committed to using its Chairmanship to build bridges. It was inspiring to see how IOM is ensuring migrants’ dignity and rights on the ground while closely working with governments to develop policies that create safe, regular pathways for migration.” H.E. Dr. Katharina Stasch, Chair of the International Organization (IOM)’s Council and Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations (UN), Geneva, Switzerland.

The Chair also met with high-level government officials including Zimbabwe’s Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. July Moyo, and Acting Deputy Director General – Global Governance and Continental Agenda, Luvuyo Ndimeni of the Department of International Relations and Corporation (DIRCO), South Africa.

“It’s been an honour to have the IOM Chair visit IOM in Zimbabwe and South Africa and see some of the work we are doing in these two strategic countries where IOM is not only responding to the needs of migrants, including providing protection services, but also working closely with government and other partners to create regular pathways for migrants”. Justin MacDermott, Chief of Mission and Sub-Regional Director a.i., IOM Sub-Regional Office, Pretoria.

IOM and the Government of Germany remain committed to working closely with Zimbabwe, South Africa, and other partners in the region to ensure that migration contributes to sustainable development, human rights, and the well-being of migrants and their host communities.

For more information please contact:

Yvonne Ndege, yndege@iom.int (Nairobi)

Fadzai Nyamande-Pangeti fnyamandepan@iom.int (Harare)

Abibo Ngandu angandu@iom.int (Pretoria)