On 24 April 2018, the European Union (EU) funded "Reintegration Facility" project was kicked off in an event hosted by the Somaliland Government, the EU and IOM, the UN Migration Agency. The project activities will help migrants from Somaliland who have become stranded in African countries to return home voluntarily and reintegrate into their communities. It will also assist Ethiopians in Somaliland return home and provide them with reintegration support. Representatives from the Government, Civil Society and the United Nations attended the event, coordinated with the National Displacement and Refugee Agency.

"Even though Somaliland already has many unemployed youth we accept our people who want to return home. However, we need to support the returning migrants when they come back, and we specifically are requesting support for the migrants to start businesses as part of a full reintegration scheme, with follow-up until they stand on their own feet,” said H. E. Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail (Saylici), Vice President, Somaliland.

The project will increase the capacities of partner countries and relevant stakeholders to develop or strengthen return and reintegration policies and processes, facilitate safe, humane and dignified assisted voluntary return processes among partner countries, and facilitate sustainable reintegration across three dimensions: successful economic reintegration and strengthened livelihoods, social reintegration and psycho-social reintegration.

The project 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, includes close collaboration with 26 African countries.

On 24 April 2018, the European Union (EU) funded "Reintegration Facility" project was kicked off in an event hosted by the Somaliland Government, the EU and IOM, the UN Migration Agency. The project activities will help migrants from Somaliland who have become stranded in African countries to return home voluntarily and reintegrate into their communities. It will also assist Ethiopians in Somaliland return home and provide them with reintegration support. Representatives from the Government, Civil Society and the United Nations attended the event, coordinated with the National Displacement and Refugee Agency.

"Even though Somaliland already has many unemployed youth we accept our people who want to return home. However, we need to support the returning migrants when they come back, and we specifically are requesting support for the migrants to start businesses as part of a full reintegration scheme, with follow-up until they stand on their own feet,” said H. E. Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail (Saylici), Vice President, Somaliland.

The project will increase the capacities of partner countries and relevant stakeholders to develop or strengthen return and reintegration policies and processes, facilitate safe, humane and dignified assisted voluntary return processes among partner countries, and facilitate sustainable reintegration across three dimensions: successful economic reintegration and strengthened livelihoods, social reintegration and psycho-social reintegration.

The project 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, includes close collaboration with 26 African countries.

For more information: https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/37478/eu-iom-joint-initiative-migrant-protection-and-reintegration-one-year_en