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Tag: IOM

  • IOM donates $1.1m to support IDPs in Benue

    IOM donates $1.1m to support IDPs in Benue

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has donated the sum of $1.1 million dollars (N1.69 billion) to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue.

    The Deputy Director-General (DDG) of IOM, Ugochi Daniels, who made the donation during a condolence visit to the state on Wednesday in Makurdi, said that the support was specifically for Yelewata and Naka IDPs.

    Daniels said that the donation was part of IOM’s support of the Benue Government’s efforts to return the IDPs to their ancestral homes with dignity.

    “The IOM’s support is part of a larger initiative to find durable solutions for IDPs, including helping them return to their places of origin or resettle in new locations.

    “We are always ready to collaborate with the state government to return the IDPs to their ancestral homes or resettle them in new locations of their choice,” Daniels declared.

    The DDG urged the government and stakeholders to prioritise peacebuilding in order to solve the humanitarian needs in the state.

    She said that development could only thrive in the atmosphere of peace.

    NAN reports that IOM has been actively involved in providing support to IDPs in Benue in the areas of shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene services, as well as supporting resettlement and livelihood opportunities.

    Receiving the donation, Gov. Hyacinth Alia also supported IOM with the sum of USD 50,000 as part of the state government’s contribution towards the work efforts of the organisation to dignify the lives of the IDPs.

    Alia said that the state government was proud of any partnership with IOM, saying, “the organisation has helped the government to operate in coordination by introducing biometric registration of IDPs.

    “IOM’s constant support of the Benue IDPs has transformed vulnerability into resilience; I commend the organisation for also constructing a mega camp that gave dignified shelter to the IDPs,” he said.

    The governor, who expressed concerns over the high population of IDPs in camps, said that many of them were women and children.

    He said that Benue needed a strengthened partnership to enable them to return home or integrate into new communities of their choice.

    “We are engaging relevant quarters to ensure their safe return home because that has been my dream from the onset of my administration.

    “Also, through the response we are getting, I can say that IDPs will soon return to their ancestral homes,” Alia said.

    The DDG visited the International Market IDP camp (mega camp) to assure the IDPs they were not forgotten.

  • IOM records 22% increase in people displaced in Haiti

    IOM records 22% increase in people displaced in Haiti

    A breakdown in law and order and a wider humanitarian emergency across Haiti have displaced more than 700,000 people – one in two of them children, the UN migration office, IOM has said.

    New data from the International Organisation for Migration, on Wednesday indicates, a 22 per cent spike in the number of people uprooted from their homes since June.

    IOM said that gang violence had forced more than 110,000 people to flee their homes in the last seven months, particularly in Gressier, which lies west of the capital.

    Grégoire Goodstein, IOM’s chief in Haiti, said that the sharp rise in displacement underscored the urgent need for a sustained humanitarian response from the international community.

    The UN agency noted that although more than 65,000 people had returned to the Cité Soleil neighbourhood near the capital, which is known for deadly clashes between rival gangs, these returnees “are often displaced again, following new attacks”.

    As humanitarian needs grow, IOM has continued to provide critical assistance to displaced people and host communities, although access for aid teams remains difficult and dangerous in places.

    IOM reaffirmed it would keep working alongside the Government of Haiti and international partners to provide lifesaving assistance and find long-term solutions for the displaced.

    It is crucial that efforts to restore stability and security across the country continue, the agency said, alongside humanitarian aid to alleviate the immediate suffering.

    In a related development, Global immunisation coverage has remained below pre-pandemic levels and the number of children who have not had a single vaccine has increased to 14.5 million.

    That’s the worrying finding of an expert group of health advisers meeting at the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), which said that more than half of these so-called “zero-dose” children live in 31 mostly-developing countries.

    Many of these nations are fragile and conflict-affected, according to the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE), which blamed a dearth of political will and falling investment in immunisation programmes for the lack of success in reaching vulnerable youngsters.

    The expert group also issued new vaccine advice to low- and middle-income countries where there’s a high burden of respiratory syncytial virus among children.

    It’s a common virus that affects the nose, throat and lungs and a leading cause of hospitalisation of youngsters and the elderly.

    “Clearly there is a major benefit to be expected and therefore we did give the recommendation that all countries should introduce either maternal vaccination or the monoclonal antibody to protect small children,” Dr Hanna Nohynek, Chair of SAGE, said.

    She added that respiratory syncytial virus has surged since COVID-19 and now accounts for approximately one in three of those hospitalised with lower respiratory infections globally.

    “Nearly all deaths from the virus happen in low and middle-income countries,” she confirmed.

  • FG receives 29 stranded Nigerians from Sudan

    FG receives 29 stranded Nigerians from Sudan

    The Federal Government in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), have facilitated the safe return of 29 out of 120 Nigerians stranded in Sudan.

    The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Alhaji Tijani Ahmed stated this at the reception of the returnees on Thursday in Abuja.

    Ahmed explained that the voluntary return of the 29 Nigerian emigrants –18 females including five minors, five adults males and two minors became necessary due to the crisis in Sudan.

    He also said that about nine voluntary returnees would be airlifted from Sudan in the next one week.

    “We are here at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to receive the returnees from Sudan. We want to ensure that our people returned safely and in dignity.

    “The National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons in collaboration with the IOM are doing everything possible to ensure that this 120 were returned to the country,” he said.

    Ahmed said the Commission was also making arrangement to ensure the safe return of about 17 Nigerians in Algeria, eight in Tunisia and some other ones in other countries in the next few weeks.

    He added that the Commission with IOM had facilitated the return of about 1, 950 Nigerians between January and May.

    “Also in 2003, the Commission and partners returned over 7, 000 Nigerians from various countries back to the country,” Ahmed added. .

    He, therefore, appreciated IOM and other partners for their supports, both financially and morally towards ensuring that Nigerians, who live far away in many countries were returned safely and in dignity.

    The returnees were profiled and given some kits including refreshments.

  • International remittances rise by 650% in 20 years

    International remittances rise by 650% in 20 years

    Migration is a crucial driver of economic resilience, growth and prosperity, Amy Pope, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said on Tuesday.

    Pope said in Lagos that migrants were often a solution to some of the world’s most pressing problems, including climate change.

    She spoke  at the opening of the 2024 International Dialogue on Migration. The dialogue, with the theme – Facilitating Regular Pathways to a Better Future: Harnessing the Power of Migration –  was organised by IOM.

    According to Pope, the 2030 Agenda explicitly recognises that migration can be a powerful catalyst for sustainable development because of its benefits.

    She said that the benefits could be in terms of economic prosperity, exchange of skills, strengthening of labour force and cultural diversity.

    “This is based on evidence; overwhelming evidence backs this up, and one example is highlighted in our recent World Migration Report.

    “International remittances have increased by a staggering 650 per cent over the last 20 years. In 2000, remittances were at $128 billion.

    “Today, $831 billion comes back to countries in the form of remittances. Of this, $647 billion were sent by migrants to low and middle-income countries.

    “We know that, for many of these countries, these remittances constitute a significant portion of their GDP and, in fact, surpasses direct foreign investment,” Pope said.

    She, however,  said that the benefits of migration should not only be seen from the perspective of what migrants could bring to countries or communities.

    She said that the relationship between migration and development was complex, adding that the political, social and economic processes of potential destination countries must  determine how, where and when migration would occur.

    Pope said that discussions on investment should include those of investment in people and migration.

    According to her, the way to do this is by building safe and regular pathways for migration – pathways that reduce the risk of exploitation, ensure protection of  human rights and dignity of migrants, and ensure  they are able to access essential services in destination countries.

    ”Regular pathways can facilitate integration into communities and safely connect people, goods, services, knowledge and innovation.

    “When migration is poorly governed, it can negatively impact on development, and that is why facilitating pathways is one of our top strategic objectives.

    “Our goal is to ensure that migration and migrants’ needs are considered across all policy areas and across all laws and regulations – from health to urban planning, education, fiscal policy and trade,” she said.

    She urged governments and other stakeholders to put in place programmes that would deliver assistance and protection and raise awareness among migrants about  options, rights and services available to them.

    During the dialogue, Pope announced the appointment of America Ferrera, Oscar -nominated actress and aocial activist, as its new Global Goodwill Ambassador.

    Ferrera said at the event that she had always been passionate about migration matters.

    She added  that, as a daughter of Honduran immigrants to the U.S., migration meant much to her.

    “As an advocate, I have spent years listening and learning about experiences and struggles of migrants, and I have had the privilege of witnessing the great value they have to contribute.

    “I am very excited at the opportunity to continue amplifying stories that move us towards better and safer solutions for global migration,” she said.

  • 161 stranded Nigerians return from Libya

    161 stranded Nigerians return from Libya

    Another batch of 161 Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya have been evacuated and brought back to Nigeria  on Tuesday, courtesy of the Federal Government and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

    Ambassador Kabiru Musa, Chargé D’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, stated in Abuja that the objective of the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) exercise was to ensure that migrating Nigerians were not stranded abroad.

    “The evacuees departed the Mitiga International Airport, Tripoli, aboard a chartered flight on Tuesday and are expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, later in the day.

    “The evacuees are 100 adult females, 37 adult males, 16 children, and eight infants.

    “They will be received by officials on arrival to facilitate their resettlement and reintegration into society,” Musa said.

    According to him, the Federal Government would not relent in its efforts to ensure that no Nigerian is left stranded or abandoned in detention facilities in Libya.

     

  • Libya: Flood disaster displaced over 43,000 People – IOM

    Libya: Flood disaster displaced over 43,000 People – IOM

    Libya’s flood disaster, which killed thousands in the city of Derna, also displaced more than 43,000 people, the International Organisation for Migration said Thursday.

    A tsunami-sized flash flood broke through two aging river dams upstream from the coastal city after the Mediterranean Storm Daniel lashed the area on September 10.

    It razed entire neighborhoods, sweeping untold thousands of people into the sea.

    The official death toll stands at more than 3,300, but the eventual count is expected to be far higher, with international aid groups giving estimates of up to 10,000 people missing.

    “An estimated 43,059 individuals have been displaced by the floods in northeastern Libya,” the IOM said, adding that a “lack of water supply is reportedly driving many displaced out of Derna” to other areas.

    “Urgent needs include food, drinking water and mental health and psychosocial support,” it said.

    Mobile and Internet services were meanwhile restored after a two-day disruption, following protests Monday that saw angry residents blame the authorities for the high death toll.

    Authorities had blamed the communications outage on “a rupture in the optical fiber” link to Derna, but some Internet users and analysts charged there had been a deliberate “blackout.”

    Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah announced that communications had been restored in the east, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.

    War-scarred Libya remains split between Dbeibah’s UN-backed and nominally interim government in the west, and another in the disaster-hit east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

    The dams that were overwhelmed by the torrential rains of September 10 had developed cracks as far back as the 1990s, Libya’s top prosecutor has said, as residents accused authorities of negligence.

    Much of Libya’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair in the chaos since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Muammar Qaddafi.

    Haftar’s forces seized Derna in 2018, then a stronghold of radical Islamists, and with the reputation as a protest stronghold since Qaddafi’s days.

    The demonstrators had gathered on Monday outside Derna’s grand mosque and chanted slogans against the parliament in eastern Libya and its leader Aguilah Saleh.

    In a televised interview Wednesday evening, Libya’s prosecutor general Al-Seddik Al-Sour vowed “rapid results” in the investigation into the cause of the tragedy.

    He added that those suspected of corruption or negligence “have already been identified,” without naming them.

    Survivors in have Derna meanwhile faced new threats.

    The United Nations warned this week that disease outbreaks could bring “a second devastating crisis” to the flood-hit areas.

    Local officials, aid agencies and the World Health Organisation “are concerned about the risk of disease outbreak, particularly from contaminated water and the lack of sanitation,” the UN said.

    Libya’s disease control center has warned that mains water in the disaster zone is polluted and urged residents not to use it.

  • Stakeholders drum support for journalists covering migration stories

    Stakeholders drum support for journalists covering migration stories

    A cross section of stakeholders has called on the government at all levels to provide empowerment and protection for journalists covering migration stories.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the stakeholders made the call at a workshop with the theme: “Let’s talk migration 2.2″, which was organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Abuja.

    In a communiqué issued by Ms Cyprine Cheptepkeny, who coordinated the workshop, the stakeholders called on Nigeria’s media to educate the public on the dangers of irregular migration.

    They said there was the need for journalists to probe into why some people defy the risks involved in irregular migration to undertake the journey.

    “It is the media’s responsibility to make people understand the dangers of irregular migration. Media professionals need to continuously build their capacity on reporting.

    “The media can also propagate information and updates on travels and travel documentation like changes in visa application processes to inform the public on the right ways to travel,” they said.

    The stakeholders also called for the re-orientation of the media professionals on how to measure the progress made in combating irregular migration.

    They also called on the need for media to take initiatives and project new ways of reporting stories that would bring migration stories into the mainstream discussion.

    “Government and international development partners need to set up migration news/help desk in media houses by liaising with the heads of the media houses.

    “There is a need for more collaboration and mutually beneficial partnerships amongst media houses rather than the competition so as to proffer solutions to issues and challenges especially as they relate to migration.

    “All stakeholders need to focus more on research and verification of data from different sources so that reportage is comprehensive,’’ the stakeholders said.

    They also advised journalists to partner National Orientation Agency on fact-check projects about irregular migration.

    They advised that the incidences of being “first to report” needs to be checked to prevent the spread of fake news.

    “They also said there was the need for the media to focus more on reportage and dissemination of information on the safe migration pathways”.

  • Another batch of 129 returnees arrive Nigeria from Libya

    Another batch of 129 returnees arrive Nigeria from Libya

    129 stranded Nigerians have returned from Libya, the returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, In Lagos on Friday morning.

    They were received by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed Airpot Friday morning

    The Director-General of NEMA, Alh Mustapha Ahmed, represented by the Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial office of the Agency Ibrahim Farinloye confirmed the development.

    Farinloye said that the stranded Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 2.09 a.m. with Boeing 737-800 Al Buraq Air, with registration number 5A-DMG.

    He confirmed that the returnees were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

    IOM is a voluntary repatriation programme designed for the distressed who left the country for greener pastures in various African and Europeans countries but find it difficult to sustain their stay in those countries.

    Farinloye said that the returnees included 27 male adults, 74 female adults, four male and seven female children, six female infants and 11 male infants, including three males with mental health-related issues.

    “We admonish the returnees on the need to realize that there’s no country better than Nigeria.

    “Here you have all the freedom to achieve your potentials, looking for greener pastures in foreign countries is no longer a reality, those countries are not better off when you consider the challenges you encounter there and here.

    “You are encouraged to be positive ambassadors toward advocacy and sensitization against irregular migration that leave the youths vulnerable to all sorts of abuses and death in extreme cases.

    “Many are permanently disabled from traumatized torture, resulting in serious mental health challenges,” he said.

  • Rann: UNICEF, IOM, UN condemn Boko Haram attack

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have deplored Boko Haram attack on Rann in Borno.

    IOM said: “a large number of Boko Haram members armed with automatic weapons, rocket propelled grenades and gun trucks attacked the military base in Rann’’.

    The UN migration agency said some 55,000 people displaced by the conflict lived in a camp near the base.

    “IOM staff reported that during the incident, four soldiers, four mobile police and three humanitarian workers were killed and another three humanitarian workers were injured.

    “Two of those killed were IOM field colleagues,’’ Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Director of Operations and Emergencies said.

    “We are outraged and saddened at the killings of two of our colleagues in an attack by Boko Haram in North East Nigeria last evening.

    “They represented the best in us in assisting displaced civilians. We will miss them,’’ Mr. Abdiker said.

    UNICEF, in a statement by Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, also expressed shock on the attack against humanitarian workers in Rann.

    Ms. Poirier said: “UNICEF is shocked by the attack on March 1, in Rann, Borno State, in which three aid workers lost their lives, three were injured and one is reportedly missing.

    “One of these brave workers who lost their lives, and the nurse who is missing, were on the frontline providing critical services supported by UNICEF.

    “The two others who were killed were working for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

    “We strongly condemn this attack on selfless aid professionals, who were working in the most difficult humanitarian conditions.

    “Alarmingly, the number of attacks on aid workers is increasing around the world, and we must stand together to reaffirm our commitment to protect them. Humanitarian workers should never be a target.

    “UNICEF offers its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all IOM staff members. We will continue to work with the Government to ensure safe return of those missing.”

    The UN statement, issued by its Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, had also strongly condemned the killing of the three aid workers in Rann town.

    “Three aid workers were also injured, and a female nurse is missing and feared to have been abducted,’’ Kallon said.

    He said the UN was also concerned about other civilians who may have been injured or killed in the attack.

    “Two of the deceased aid workers were contractors with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), working as coordinators in a camp in Rann for 55,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    “The other aid worker was a medical doctor employed as a third-party consultant with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),’’ Mr. Kallon said.

  • IOM, EU evacuate 132 more Nigerians from Libya

    IOM, EU evacuate 132 more Nigerians from Libya

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) on Monday evacuated 132 more Nigerians from Libya.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new batch of returnees arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 5.30 p.m..

    The Nigerians returned aboard a chartered Global Africa aircraft with Registration Number LZ MDO.

    The returnees comprised 35 adult females, 88 adult males and nine children and infants.

    They were received by officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Police.

    An official of the IOM, Frantz Célestin, said this was the second chartered flight by IOM in 2018 making it 313 Nigeria returned so far in the new year.

    “Migration is not a problem in itself. It engenders socioceconomic development if properly managed,” he said.

    Mr. Celestin affirmed IOM’s commitment in collaborating with Nigeria in ensuring protection and safe arrival of Nigerian migrants from Libya.

    NAN reports that 6,806 Nigerians have been returned from Libya in 2017 through the efforts of the IOM and EU.

    The Nigerians were stranded in the volatile North African country where they had been stranded enroute Europe and were being subjected to various abuses in the country.

    NAN