EU-IOM Joint Initiative

for Migrant Protection and Reintegration

Every year, thousands of migrants in Africa embark on dangerous journeys to cross the Mediterranean, many with little knowledge of the risks ahead. They often become stranded along migration routes and find themselves unable to continue their journey. Far from home and with no money, they are faced with difficult choices in order to survive or continue their journey. Some become victims of criminal networks and are subject to trafficking.

A new video documentary (available with subtitles in English, French and Arabic) shows how the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration works to save lives, protect and assists migrants all along the migration routes, with migrant rights upheld. A 2-minute trailer is also available.

The documentary emphasizes the trilateral partnership with African and EU Member States, showcasing cooperation with partner countries to respond to migration governance challenges and opportunities at sub-national and national levels.

Interviews with local and national governments, returnees, EU, IOM and civil society representatives illustrate how the EU-IOM Joint Initiative supports sustainable reintegration, promoting local leadership of reintegration support, capacity building of state and non-state actors, and strengthening of migration governance coordination mechanisms. 

Launched in December 2016, with support from the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration brings together 26 African countries of the Sahel and Lake Chad region, the Horn of Africa, and North Africa, the EU and IOM around the shared goal of ensuring that migration is safer, more informed and better governed for both migrants and their communities.  

The EU-IOM Joint Initiative addresses six interlinked pillars of action (i) capacity building; (ii) protection and voluntary return assistance; (iii) reintegration support; (iv) migration data collection and analysis; (v) information and awareness raising and; (vi) community stabilisation. 

Saving lives has been the most urgent priority. More than 28,100 migrants were reached in search and rescue operations in the desert so far. Since May 2017, over 94,000 migrants were supported with voluntary return assistance, while more than 106,000 received post-arrival and reintegration support.

Close to 370 national and local authorities and non-state actors are closely involved in the provision of return and reintegration assistance to migrants, working closely with IOM’s network of 153 offices across the three regions. Support to the African Union Commission (AUC), as well as to the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA) seek to link national, regional and continental actions.