EU-IOM Joint Initiative Video Documentary: Fostering Strong Partnerships for Sustainable 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. 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.

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.

The documentary emphasizes the trilateral partnership with African and EU Member States. 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. To be more impactful, the project seeks to link national, regional and continental actions.

Tangible results achieved so far:

• More than 28,100 migrants were reached in search and rescue operations in the desert
• 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.

For more information:

On the partnership between the European Commission and IOM : https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/partnersingood-iom_en

On the project, please visit: https://migrationjointinitiative.org/