IOM, UK Government Launch Regional Drive to Combat Migrant Smuggling in East Africa

By Monyonge Kebati

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), with funding from the UK Home Office’s Border Security Command, has launched a new regional initiative aimed at strengthening border security and combating migrant smuggling across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.

According to a project brief titled Regional Counter Smuggling Programme (RCSP), the 10-month initiative will run from June 2026 to March 2027 and seeks to improve border management at major international airports while enhancing cooperation among the three countries.

The programme comes amid growing concerns over irregular migration in the East and Horn of Africa, a region that remains one of the world’s busiest migration corridors. The document notes that increasing numbers of migrants are attempting dangerous journeys towards Europe, with Ethiopia and Somalia identified as major countries of origin.

The project warns that transnational criminal networks are increasingly exploiting weaknesses in airport border control systems through migrant smuggling and sophisticated document fraud. These criminal activities, it says, are fuelled by regulatory gaps, porous borders, limited technical capacity, weak infrastructure and fragmented information sharing among agencies.

According to the project background, these vulnerabilities expose migrants to trafficking, exploitation and abuse while undermining the effectiveness of border governance systems. The document also highlights operational challenges facing frontline border officers, including inadequate integration of gender, disability and psychosocial considerations in migration management.

To address these challenges, the RCSP will strengthen regulatory, technical and institutional capacities for detecting and disrupting migrant smuggling networks. It also aims to improve coordination among law enforcement agencies, standardize operational procedures and strengthen referral mechanisms for vulnerable migrants.

The programme further seeks to promote evidence-based policy development, regional cooperation and victim-centred approaches that safeguard the rights and dignity of migrants.

IOM says the initiative will focus on closing technical, operational and institutional gaps at major international airports in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia while reinforcing cooperation against document fraud, migrant smuggling and other forms of transnational organized crime.

The project’s overall objective is to reduce irregular migration facilitated by organized criminal networks through stronger enforcement capabilities, improved inter-agency coordination and enhanced regional collaboration, while ensuring that protection of migrants remains central to border management efforts.

Speaking during the launch Mr. Kennedy Nyaiyo, Head, Boarder Management Secretariat said the aim of the programme is to train due to changing time and improvement in technology.