The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, has concluded a two-day Learning Mission bringing together senior immigration officials from IGAD Member States, experts from the IGAD Secretariat, to explore best practices in citizen identity management as a facilitator of the Free Movement agenda in the region.

The mission, hosted by Uganda’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and the National Citizenship and Immigration Control (NCIC), aims to strengthen the capacity of IGAD Member States in developing robust identity management systems that enhance service delivery, improve security, and facilitate safe, orderly, and regular migration across the region.

The visiting delegation is learning how Uganda has integrated its civil registration and identity management systems, including the linkage between NIRA’s national identification database and NCIC’s passport issuance system. This integration enables efficient verification of applicant information, streamlines access to travel documents, and demonstrates the importance of trusted identity systems in advancing regional integration and free movement of persons.

Identity Systems, Security and Mobility

During the mission, NIRA Executive Director, Ms. Rosemary Kisembo highlighted key lessons from Uganda’s experience, including bringing registration services closer to communities, investing in digital identity technologies and biometrics, strengthening data management systems, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and prioritizing cybersecurity and data protection.

Participants also discussed challenges affecting identity management systems, including data security, privacy concerns, and the need to strengthen civil registration for migrants, refugees, pastoralists, stateless persons, and displaced populations.

Representing the Director of IGAD Health and Social Development, Senior Programme Coordinator for Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance, Ms. Lucy Daxbacher, commended Uganda’s identity management and immigration systems as a model for the region. She emphasized that effective governance begins with knowing who citizens are through registration, enabling access to employment opportunities, social protection, financial services, skills recognition, and other essential services.

Mr. Ephrem Getnet, Chief Technical Advisor for Free Movement of Persons and Transhumance at ILO, underscored the importance of reliable identity systems in enabling effective governance, evidence-based policymaking, secure border management, and safe cross-border mobility.

The mission was officially opened by Acting Chief of National Citizenship and Immigration Control, Col. Geoffrey Kambere, representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to sharing its experience in identity and migration management.

IGAD’s Free Movement Agenda

The engagement also provides an opportunity for Member States to review the legislative, policy, regulatory, and technological frameworks that have enabled NIRA and NCIC to deliver effective identity and immigration services. Through peer learning and experience sharing, IGAD countries will explore approaches to harmonizing civil registration systems, improving mutual recognition of identity documents, and reducing barriers faced by citizens moving across borders. The discussions further emphasize the need for inclusive identity systems that ensure migrants, refugees, pastoralists, and displaced populations are not left behind in accessing legal identity and essential services.

Key Learnings

The learning mission participants gained valuable insights from Uganda’s citizen identification and migration governance systems, particularly the importance of a strong legal, policy, and institutional framework in ensuring inclusive access to identity services and protection for all citizens. They noted the role of reliable registration processes, interoperable digital platforms, and technology-driven solutions in delivering efficient and seamless services.

Participants also highlighted the importance of investing in institutional capacity, skilled personnel, and sustainable resources to strengthen identity management and migration governance. They further recognised the value of regional cooperation through harmonised identity systems, data-sharing mechanisms, integrated border management, and coordinated migration policies to enhance safe mobility, trade, tourism, and investment across the IGAD region.

The Learning Mission was supported under the IGAD-ILO-EU NDICI Action and is aligned with the IGAD Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, which recognizes legal identity as a foundation for mobility, access to rights, and regional integration. Uganda signed the Protocol on May 14, 2024. Source: IGAD