Africa-Press – Angola. The provincial delegate for the Interior in Zaire, Firmino Uyamba, stated, this Friday, in Soyo, that the extensive border (310 km) that the region shares with the DRC has led to the illegal entry of foreign citizens into the country.
Speaking at the provincial event commemorating the 48th anniversary of the institutionalization of the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME), the provincial commander of the National Police said that the border perimeter has been systematically violated, above all, by democratic Congolese.
He highlighted that along this vast border with the Central Congo (DRC) region there are only six border posts authorized for the entry and exit of people and goods, and illegal immigrants use clandestine routes known as “fiote” routes to enter the country. National territory.
He therefore called for the reinforcement of actions to combat this phenomenon, as well as the promotion of more lectures and awareness campaigns aimed at the population residing in municipalities bordering the DRC on the negative impact that illegal immigration has on the country.
However, he considered the work of this MININT body in the province to be positive, despite the lack of human and operational resources that make it difficult to implement operational plans across the entire border.
He also called for SME personnel in the region, in collaboration with other defense and security bodies, to intensify inspection, detection and repatriation actions of illegal immigrants.
The continued observance of the principles that govern respect for human rights and other legislation to which Angola is a signatory, abstaining from acts that contradict the values of good administration and honesty was also recommended by the provincial Interior delegate in the region.
He asked, on the other hand, for SME members to increasingly raise their academic and technical-professional level, to face the new challenges of the country and the world in permanent transformation.
More than three thousand foreigners expelled
Three thousand 463 foreign citizens, mostly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were expelled from the province of Zaire by the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME), in the last 12 months, due to irregular migration.
The information was provided by the provincial director of the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME), migration commissioner João Bonifácio Calandissa, during the event commemorating the 48th anniversary of the institutionalization of this body.
The official, who was taking stock of the activities carried out in the last 12 months by the institution he heads in the region, said that, during this period, there was a reduction of 132 foreigners expelled in relation to the same period last year.
Still in the context of illegal immigration, the senior SME officer in Zaire reported that 66 national citizens were detained and taken to the Public Prosecutor’s Office for helping and promoting this phenomenon.
Regarding the migratory flow, João Bonifácio Calandissa said that his body controlled the entry into the territory of the province, 27 thousand 409 citizens, three thousand and 514 more than in the previous period.
Of this number, according to the source, 23 thousand and 326 were nationals and four thousand and 83 were foreign citizens of different nationalities.
There were 38 thousand and 44 national and foreign citizens leaving the country, 13 thousand and 209 more than the same previous period, with 34 thousand and 625 nationals and three thousand and 419 foreigners, most of them from the neighboring country.
In the administrative chapter, the head of the SME in Zaire announced that 1,789 requests for issuing passports had been made, with 1,269 documents having been issued and delivered to the respective applicants, with another 164 passports awaiting collection.
He also spoke about the extension of 229 foreign passports and 175 visas, of which 14 short-term visas, eight temporary stay visas and 207 tourist visas.
He noted that the province of Zaire controls 793 foreign citizens of different nationalities, of which 54 are residents, 559 holders of temporary stay visas, two with investment visas, 21 refugees and 121 asylum seekers.
He recognized, on the occasion, that much still needs to be done by his institution, in this part of the country, to address the phenomenon of illegal immigration, given the wave of illegal entry of foreigners in irregular migratory situations into the province, across the land border and river with the DRC.
He called on the population and traditional local authorities to continue collaborating with the competent bodies, denouncing the offenders and those who aid and promote this phenomenon.
Members of the Provincial Command Advisory Council, SME staff, judicial magistrates and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, traditional and religious authorities participated in the event.
angop
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