IOM, Gov't of Ethiopia Working to Curb Irregular Migration, Rehabilitate Returnees

Ena December 18/2019 The International Organization for Migration and the Government of Ethiopia are working to curb irregular migration and rehabilitate returnees, IOM Chief of Mission and Representative Achieng said.

Speaking at a press conference held to mark the International Migrants Day today, IOM Chief of Mission and Representative to AU, IGAD and UNECA, Maureen Achieng said her organization is closely working with the government to curb irregular migration and help returnees.

The number of Ethiopians leaving the country irregularly has been increasing in recent months and years, it was learned. Ethiopians have continued to migrate though the country is still the largest refugee host in the world.

According to Achieng, there are raft of solutions that IOM and the Government of Ethiopia are working on to address irregular migration.

The chief said IOM has reached out more than 2,000 Ethiopian villages through its community mobilization efforts to address irregular migration.

IOM is working with Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to explore regular migration options and rehabilitate, return stranded migrants via three migratory routes with Ministry of Foreign Affairs; while the Attorney General Office works to strengthen regulatory framework.

“We are assisting the regulatory framework to ensure that human traffickers and people smugglers are removed from the prominent role they continued to occupy in terms of matching labor supply to labor demand. So we are working lots of works with the Attorney General,” Achieng elaborated.

IOM Project Development and Policy Officer, Sharif Faisal said the organization is working in close collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia to protect and assist vulnerable migrants, optimize the development potential of migration and regulating migration for the benefit of all.

He pointed out that “the government has in recent months taken significant steps towards the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) and also to establish a national coordination mechanism on migration.”