BY NYARADZO CHITUNGO
In a bid to strengthen cooperation on migration and governance and policy development integration Senior Government Officials from 16 SADC countries, International Organisation for Migration (IOM), UNICEF, and civil society will from 24-27 October 2025 host the 2025 Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA) meeting at the Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls.
Running under the theme “Promoting Regional Integration Through Sustaining Safe, Regular, and Orderly Migration in the Southern African Region,” the four-day dialogue will examine key issues such as climate-induced mobility, children on the move, alternatives to detention, and labor mobility.
Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe affirmed that regional integration is best promoted through people integration.
“Our collective resolve should be anchored on ensuring the integration of member states in the SADC bloc if the vision to promote safe, regular and orderly migration is to be realized,” he said.
IOM’s Regional Director for East, Horn and Southern Africa, Frantz Celestin also emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating that “By working closely with the International Organisation for Migration, SADC Member States can transform migration into a catalyst for regional integration and sustainable development.”
UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, highlighted the vulnerability of children on the move.
“Children on the move across Southern Africa are among the most vulnerable, facing risks of violence, exploitation, and detention yet they are also resilient and full of potential.”
The meeting is expected to culminate in the adoption of a joint communiqué outlining priority actions to enhance regional migration governance, strengthen cross-border collaboration, and promote inclusive, rights-based migration policies across Southern Africa.
