IOM Claims Supporting Economic Reintegration of Ethiopian Returnees

Addis Ababa May 15/2018 The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reportedly provided the first economic reintegration assistance for 29 irregular Ethiopian migrant returnees under the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration in the East and Horn of Africa. The migrants recently returned to their communities of origin in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State of Ethiopia, which is prone to irregular migration. According to a press release of IOM, the group was trained in technical agricultural skills such as cattle and goat fattening, grain trade and diary products, as well as business development and management. Cattle fodder was also provided for the returnees to kick start their cattle fattening businesses. By the end of this month, a total of 91 returnees will have been supported under the Joint Initiative, it was learned. IOM’s team in the region is providing similar reintegration assistance for the remaining 62 returnees. IOM has been providing project management training for returnees and conducted one-on-one consultations with them to develop their business skills and plans. The personalized consultations and the training have helped them identify and map business opportunities in their respective communities as well as to up-to-date with current government business requirements. The program is part of the larger EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration which facilitates orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration management through the development of rights-based and development-focused policies and processes on protection and sustainable reintegration. The EU-IOM Joint Initiative, backed by the EU Trust Fund, has been set up in close cooperation with a total of 26 African countries.