Countries sharing the Lake Victoria basin have resolved to create cross-border coordination at points of entry to fight transnational organised crime on the Lake.

 Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi, noted that the security of the lake is critical because it is Africa’s largest lake and it supports 40 million people.

“Coordination is going to be the game changer in ensuring security on Lake Victoria.

This resolution comes at a time when Lake Victoria, which provides enormous potential for regional integration through cross-border trade and human mobility, faces a variety of challenges ranging from climate-induced crises to the prevalence of transnational organised crime.

Combined with limited operational capacities and resources, and gaps in border security infrastructures,” Gen. Muhoozi said on Wednesday in Entebbe.

He was opening a three-day meeting on border security on Lake Victoria, covering Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, taking place at Protea Hotel in Entebbe

Addressing senior immigration officials, Gen Muhoozi noted that the benefits of the project will not just be felt in the three countries, but also in neighbouring regions that are especially prone to transnational organized crime.

“Member states are going to strengthen border officials’ skills on detection of fraudulent travel documents and also improve selected ports' basic infrastructure,” Gen Muhoozi said.

This will be achieved through a three-year project titled “Countering Transnational Threats on Lake Victoria by Enhancing Border Security Capacities and Coordination Between Government Authorities in Uganda, Kenya and United Republic of Tanzania”. It will be implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The African Union’s migration policy framework for Africa recommends that detection and prevention of irregular migration, including transnational crime, such as the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons, can be achieved by ensuring the necessary cooperation between border agencies, national and international justice and security agencies.

The cross-border coordination, according to Marcellino Bwesigye, the Assistant Commissioner for Migration will improve surveillance on Lake Victoria.

“Transnational organised criminal groups have increasingly become sophisticated and complex, so this requires effective coordination between authorities at the national as well as international level to detect and deter these threats around the lake,” Bwesigye said.

In Kenya, the project will specifically carry out activities in Kisumu, Usenge, Mbita, Muhuru Bay and Sio ports. In Uganda, activities will centre around the ports of Jinja in the east, Kasensero in the south, and Port Bell in Kampala.

In Tanzania, the focus will be the ports of Mwanza North and Mwanza South, Musoma and Kagera.

The project will comprehensively assess the existing capacities and gaps in infrastructure, governance structures on Lake Victoria in and between the three countries.

In his speech, IOM Uganda Chief of Mission, Sanusi Tejan Savage, said that the project is important because the challenges they seek to address have immense potential to frustrate the free movement of persons across and within borders.

 “I know that most of the time, individuals and organisations, even countries, we tend to put ourselves first, however, in an ever-more globalized world, crime and other threats are being perpetuated in large networks, beyond a single organisation or country. Therefore, for actors to stand a chance of succeeding, we need to work together,” Savage said.

Moses Lilan, the Homa Bay county commissioner from Kenya, noted that by having Lake Victoria, which is free of illegal activities, investment will be achieved and poverty fought.

“This is a good step for the three countries. By taking shared responsibility and enhancing intelligence and information sharing we will be able to better protect the communities living along Lake Victoria.” Lilan said.

Addressing guests, Ahmed Mwendadi, from the United Republic of Tanzania, noted that by sharing experiences, other member states will learn new tricks that are used by criminals and this will help to increase awareness of border security issues.