Maputo, July 21, 2025 (Lusa) - The director-general of the Mozambican National Migration Service (Senami), Zainadine Danane, acknowledged on Monday that strengthening control of the migration situation of foreign citizens in the country was one of the main priorities for the organisation, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

“The challenges are immense. First, we must guarantee the free movement of people and goods at our borders. Then, in the unusual situation we are experiencing, we must ensure the entry, stay and departure of citizens from the national territory,” said Zainadine Danane, whom Lusa questioned on the sidelines of the ceremony marking Senami’s 50th anniversary in Maputo.

“Some citizens arrive in the country and stay beyond their authorised period. I believe this situation presents a significant challenge: maintaining humane surveillance and continuous citizen support while protecting economic activity,” warned Danane.

Controlling the immigration status of foreign citizens is a priority, argued the director-general of Senami: “This is one of the major challenges currently facing the sector, so that we have, in real time, the ability to know how many citizens are in the country, where they are, what they are doing, what they came to do, and whether they are complying with what they came to do” under the entry rules established for this purpose.”

On 10 March, President Daniel Chapo challenged the new Director-General of Senami, Zainedine Danane, to promote legal immigration, ensure integrity in the issuance of travel documents, manage migratory movements, and advance practices that strengthen the institution.

“May Senami truly be the first internal security belt of our Mozambican state, performing its role of controlling the entry, stay and departure of foreign citizens from the national territory, ensuring that only foreign citizens who meet the requirements established in our Migration Law enter and remain in our territory,” the president said in Maputo.

PVJ/ADB // ADB.

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