Following a restructuring exercise, IOM’s presence in South Africa will now be at two levels: the Regional Office for East and Southern Africa and the Country Office for South Africa.

IOM is pleased to announce Dr. Erick Ventura as the acting Chief of Mission for the IOM mission in South Africa.  Dr. Ventura will oversee the South Africa country office whose key responsibilities are to analyse national migration issues and emerging trends and to plan, develop and implement projects and programmes to address these migration issues.

Dr. Ventura also remains the Regional Coordinator for IOM’s Migration and Health Programme in East and Southern Africa which responds to the health needs of migrants in more than 15 African countries.

Mr. Bernardo Mariano will continue in his capacity as the Regional Director of the Regional Office for East and Southern Africa based in Pretoria whose key responsibilities are to formulate regional strategies and plans of action and to provide programmatic and administrative support to the countries within the region.