January - December 2015

© IOM Strengthen Joint Management of Borders between Mali and Mauritania

Given its locaon and environment, the porosity of its borders and the economic opportunies available in the country, Mauritania is subject to increasing migraon inflows, transit flows and trans-border threats such as cale thes, irregular migraon, terrorism and trafficking of arms, people and drugs. Security threats facing the country in recent years have increased with the expansion of transnaonal criminal networks, the increased presence of terrorist organizaons operang in the area, especially aer the outbreak of armed conflict in northern Mali in 2012. Border crossings between Mauritania and Mali are oen © IOM poorly manned and equipped. In addion, communicaon between regional and central offices is generally low and several unofficial border crossings remain uncontrolled. This makes the enhancement of the collecve capacity of border management essenal in the interest of the protecon of the people. To ensure the effecve management of the border area between Mauritania and Mali, thanks to the funding by the government of Japan, IOM offices in both countries implement a project for Mauritania to help Malian border officials develop a naonal strategy for border management and to improve bilateral coordinaon and collaboraon by border officials. IOM aims at creang synergies among various complementary programs IOM is implemenng in order to enhance border security and border management capacity in the Sahel Region as a whole.

As the leading internaonal organizaon for migraon, IOM acts with its partners in the internaonal community to uphold the human dignity and well being of migrants, to encourage social and economic development through migraon and to assist in meeng the growing operaonal challenges of migraon management. Areas of work include border management, conflict prevenon, community stabilisaon, migraon and development and counter trafficking. These acvies take the form of direct assistance, capacity building and informaon sharing as well as awareness-raising. IOM’s central objecve is to improve and develop global, regional and country level responses to protect and assist migrants in need and to support governments to reinforce their migraon management capacies. Strengthen Joint Management of Borders between Mali and Mauritania

Launched in December 2013, this project aims to capitalize on the experience and achievements of Mauritanian border police to the benefit of the Mali border management services. IOM Nouakcho has made great strides in helping Mauritania secure it’s froner with Mali, building 12 of the 18 border crossing points along the southern border. While physical structures are now in place, efforts in internaonal cooperaon with neighboring countries, including Mali, remain underdeveloped. This project aims to fill this gap, using the experse of Mauritania to increase the capacity of those responsible for border management in Mali. Duraon: 12 months January - December 2015

© IOM

OBJECTIVES ACTIVITIES

1. Use the experience of Mauritania border Repair the border crossing point at Gogui (Kayes) police at the benefit of Malian border control in Mali, across from the recently built border services crossing in Gogui, Mauritania. This border post serves as the main transit point between the two 2.Beer working condions and vocaonal countries training for border management agents, facilitang the detecon, idenficaon and Provide materials for electronic registraon of protecon of irregular migrants cross-border travelers in the MIDAS computer system 3. Harmonizaon of operaonal procedures, pracces and standards between border Facilitate joint training conducted by the management services enhancing understanding Mauritanian border police with border managers and cooperaon between the agents of these of Mauritania and Mali on administrave and organizaons. operaonal border management procedures

Our$sincere$thanks$to$our$donors$ bafounderbaremerciements$à$nos$ bailleurs$ Funded by !

For more information please contact: iomnouakcho@iom.int or visit: www.iom.int/countries/mauritania

IOM MAURITANIA