On the 22nd of May 2015 all roads led to the Beitbridge Reception and Support Centre (BBRSC) to witness the occasion for the handover ceremony of the centre. Local stakeholders, representatives from provincial and national offices attended the momentous event.
Among the distinguished guests was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Ngoni Masoka, the IOM Zimbabwe Chief of Mission, Mr. Martin Ocaga and the Senator for Beitbridge, Honourable T. Mohadi.
In his remarks during the occasion, the IOM Chief of Mission, Mr. Ocaga gave a brief background to the establishment of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and also highlighted some of its core principles one of which is to uphold the rights and dignity of migrants. He pointed to the various interventions that IOM in Zimbabwe has focused on over the years in supporting the Government of Zimbabwe to better manage migration. Mr. Ocaga noted that such intervention culminated on the joint establishment of the Beitbridge and Plumtree Reception and Support Centres by the Government of Zimbabwe with support from the IOM. The Reception and Support Centres were established primarily to offer post arrival comprehensive humanitarian assistance to migrants forcibly returned from South Africa and Botswana. He however, highlighted that IOM had been in charge of the day to day running of the centres with the support of relevant government departments. The IOM Chief of Mission thanked the Government of Zimbabwe for the support it provided and continues to provide to IOM. Mr. Ocaga, further indicated that the momentous occasion signify the official hand over of the administration and running of the BBRSC from IOM to the Government of Zimbabwe and wished the Government the best in running of the reception centre.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Masoka expressed the Government’s delight in receiving the reception centre from IOM. He thanked IOM for the sterling job of running the centre over the years since its establishment in 2006. He reiterated that the Government was committed to continue operating the Centre for the reception and support of returned migrants. The Permanent Secretary called upon IOM to continue supporting the Government in capacity building and other migration related areas that need technical expertise.

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