The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has supervised the voluntary return of 80,000 migrants to their countries of origin since 2015 within the Voluntary Return Program and in coordination with the Countering-Illegal Immigration Authority.
The organization said in a statement that it helped migrants of more than 49 different nationalities from Africa and Asia who wanted to return to their countries.
The IOM indicated that the beneficiaries of the voluntary return program among victims of trafficking amounted to 2,733 victims and 843 unaccompanied or separated children, in addition to 5,144 migrants with medical needs.
Regarding the eastern region, the organization stated that it returned last December 38 Bangladeshi migrants who were affected by storm “Daniel”. They had been displaced from their homes in Derna, Shahat, and Al-Bayda, and received medical care and protection assistance until they left.
The IOM also pointed out that migrants receive assistance after arriving in the countries of return, in addition to comprehensive support for reintegration, and psychological, social and economic support.
The acting head of the IOM mission, Ahmed Pasha, explained that enabling migrants to make informed choices and guaranteeing their rights to return to their homes is something that is called for and that return guarantees hope in the face of severe ordeals for migrants.
According to the statement, the program provides life-saving, safe, dignified and rapid assistance to migrants within emergency operations with security contexts, and is funded by the European Union and the governments of Switzerland and Italy.
