JUBA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan has stepped up efforts to finalize a migration policy that it hopes will enhance the country's capacity to manage its borders while also protecting the rights of migrants, a government official said on Tuesday.
The government said it's collaborating with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other international partners to develop the country's first ever such policy.
"The government is committed to adopting this policy as it guides South Sudan in creating a conducive environment for foreign investments and ensuring migrants adhere to the laws of the country for their protection," Riaw Chuol, deputy minister for interior said according to a statement issued by IOM following a meeting in Juba.
According to IOM, the draft of the new migration policy was presented by IOM-supported consultants to a stake-holders panel comprised of state and non-state actors during a two-day meeting in Juba.
In 2017, South Sudan was believed to be hosting some 845,000 migrants, the majority were from the East and Horn of Africa, according to the United Nations International Migration Report.
The UN agency said the process of developing a comprehensive migration policy began in October 2018 when it held a consultative forum where key stake-holders led by the government set priorities to be addressed by the policy.
In the months that followed, consultants with global expertise in developing migration policies set about working on the draft while in continuous contact with IOM and the National Coordination Mechanism, a governmental inter-agency committee set up to coordinate migration issues.
According to the UN migration agency, once the document is finalized, it will be submitted to the Council of Ministers for deliberation and endorsement.
