Koror – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), supported by the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is strengthening Integrated Border Management (IBM) systems in the Republic of Palau.  

Working in close coordination with the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, and in consultation with the Pacific Immigration Development Community (PIDC), IOM has been leading IBM capacity-building activities over the past quarter and conducted a visa system and entry process review.  

“Given Palau’s crucial tourism sector and substantial non-citizen labor force, strong border management practices and standards could attract more tourists and promote investment and business, whilst simultaneously ensuring the nation’s safety and security,” said John Tarkong, Director of the Palau Bureau of Customs and Border Protection. “The Bureau is keen on exploring and systematically addressing areas that need to be reinforced to ensure the safety and appropriate management of our borders,” he added. 

The newly drafted Visa Regulations will offer a broader range of visa types and include more detailed entry requirements, as well as a legal basis for an enhanced National Alert List.  

In addition to the visa and entry assessments, IOM facilitated capacity-building workshops designed to foster inter-agency cooperation for officials working in immigration, bio-security, customs and labour. The workshops aimed to:  

• Strengthen incident management through improved data management and inter-agency cooperation on gathering and sharing intelligence and devising responses to various border-related occurrences. 

• Reinforce Palau’s National Alert System by establishing more comprehensive alert list records and the sharing and joint utilization of border-related intelligence among key agencies. 

• Improve interviewing and lawful decision-making skills of the Government.  

Salvatore Sortino, IOM Micronesia Chief of Mission, recognised the importance of forging strong partnerships to ensure the exchange of critical information and the capacity to tackle challenging situations in a well-coordinated manner.  

“It is my hope that these exercises will ensure safe and well-managed movements for travelers, border officials, sending and receiving countries and the region at large,” he remarked. 

The IBM activities were conducted under the Strengthening Border Management in the Pacific project implemented in Palau, Fiji and Vanuatu. The project is funded by the Government of Japan and managed by UNDP with IOM being an implementing partner. 

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For further information, please contact at IOM Micronesia: Haimanot Abebe, Email: haabebe@iom.int, +691 320 8735