Tripoli, 5 March – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Libya reaffirms and scales up its commitment to prevent trafficking in persons and support survivors, including victims of exploitation and other human rights violations in Libya, through a new cooperation agreement signed with the Government of the United Kingdom aimed at preventing human trafficking and increasing the provision of vital humanitarian assistance along one of the most critical migration routes worldwide. The agreement was signed during a UK high-level delegation visit to IOM Libya’s Migrant Response Centre in Tripoli, where IOM already provides critical services to vulnerable migrants, including vital healthcare assistance, mental health and psychosocial support, and specialized protection services for migrants.

The agreement will enable IOM Libya to offer specialized protection assistance to survivors of trafficking and migrants in vulnerable situations, as well as provide reintegration assistance for individuals who choose to return to their countries of origin through IOM's Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) programme.

Working on the ground in close collaboration with embassies, community leaders and other humanitarian partners, through this agreement, IOM will enhance the provision of critical healthcare assistance, including mental health and psychosocial support to migrants and survivors of trafficking.
IOM  will also provide reintegration support to migrants expressing the willingness to return to their countries of origin, whenever safe to do so, through post-arrival reception assistance in the countries of return, the provision of individual reintegration assistance packages as well as social, and psychosocial support.

“This new cooperation agreement strategically focuses on the prevention of trafficking along one of the most complex migratory routes in the world and will enhance IOM’s ongoing support to vulnerable migrants in Libya” said Tauhid Pasha, IOM Libya's acting Chief of Mission. “It will also enable a greater focus on coordination and cooperation with embassies of the countries of origin, in order to provide critical support to migrants in vulnerable situations, ensuring their safety and dignity at all stages of their migration journeys and regardless of their status.” 

ENDS

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For more information, please contact:
In Libya, Giacomo Terenzi, IOM Libya Head of Programme Development and Support, gterenzi@iom.int