Why EAC nations urgently need to relook immigration protocols

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted lives and operations, creating new challenges as well as opportunities. The pandemic has also highlighted immigration issues that need to be addressed.

Immigration plays a pivotal role in economic growth and development. At a basic level, it determines who enters or departs a country. One condition of entry is that a visitor or returning resident should not carry any contagious disease, which is why many countries have imposed cross-border movement protocols like border closures and lockdowns to curb spread of the pandemic. However, as its impact evolves, it is becoming clear that the effective management of the pandemic requires reengineering of immigration processes, policies, precepts and practices.