To modernise Malawi’s border security and migration systems, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has launched a one-year pilot phase of the Marine Border Project in Nkhata Bay District.
According to Inspector Pasqually Zulu, Immigration Department Public Relations Officer, the project marks the first dedicated initiative targeting lake-side migration management and border control along Lake Malawi.
Inspector Zulu spearheaded, under the leadership of Acting Director General Macloid Kalindang’oma, the initiative, which aims to tighten border security and streamline legal migration processes at this key lakeside port of entry.
“This project lays a foundation for the Department in enhancing lake-side border security, whilst at the same time promoting regular migration in Malawi at the lake-side port of entry,” said Zulu.
Nkhata Bay, due to its strategic position along Lake Malawi, has long been a corridor for irregular migration, posing challenges such as trafficking in persons, human smuggling, and child trafficking. The Marine Border Project directly addresses these vulnerabilities, particularly along the lake’s southern route.
The publicist added that to facilitate effective implementation, a delegation led by Commissioner for Administration Vivian Kasambo is currently on the ground in Nkhata Bay, together with officials from Malawi Lake Services, the Department of Buildings, and the Ministry of Lands, conducting assessments on land availability, infrastructure plans, and procurement logistics.
The pilot project, which is being implemented with funding from the Japanese Government through the Japanese Supplementary Project (JSP) under the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), is being executed by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Government of Malawi.
