Saurimo — The number of foreigners staying illegally in Angola's eastern Lunda Sul province has been significantly reduced following the repatriation of 132 illegal immigrants in 2023, compared to 219 that were expelled in 2022, a statement of the Migration and Foreigners Service (SME) said.
The repatriated are all citizens of the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who were sent to the Lunda Norte Detention Centre for Illegal Aliens (CIT) for subsequent repatriation, ANGOP has learnt.
The arrests made this year correspond to a decrease of 87 cases compared to 2022, the statement said.
It adds that from January to December 2022, 20 voluntary departure orders were issued to foreign nationals of different nationalities for illegally staying in the country, while 14 immigrants were returned to freedom.
Prospects and difficulties
The SME in Lunda Sul said it plans to step up actions to tackle illegal immigration through the participation of citizens, reinforcement of staff at the Chiluange border post, expansion of services to the municipalities and training of human resources.
The SME added that it lacks a detention centre for illegal immigrants to be concentrated and settled for subsequent repatriation, as well as means of transport to facilitate border surveillance.
The SME said it controls a total of 825 foreigners in Lunda Sul holders of working visas, temporary stays, residence, refugee cards and provisional declarations of asylum applications and holders of receipts. QB/JW/IZ/TED/AMP
