The Italian Ministry of the Interior's Department for Civil
Liberties and Immigration has signed an agreement with IOM, the
Italian Red Cross (CRI) and the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) which will allow for better services at
receptions centres for irregular migrants on the island of
Lampedusa, and at Trapani, Calatanissetta and Siracusa on Sicily.

Since 2006, IOM has been providing information and legal
orientation to more than 20,000 migrants arriving on the island of
Lampedusa.

The agreement, jointly funded by the European Commission and the
Italian Ministry of Interior allows IOM to provide similar services
in the centres on Sicily with IOM staff expected to be operational
there in the coming days. UNHCR, which provides information and
legal orientation to potential asylum seekers on Lampedusa and the
Italian Red Cross, which provides medical and social assistance to
minors, women and vulnerable groups on the island, will continue
with these roles on Sicily.

The three organizations will also train staff at the centres in
Sicily as well as government officials dealing with irregular
migrants.

The agreement, which is operational immediately and which lasts
for one year, also allows the three organizations to operate in
other Sicilian coastal areas such as Pozzallo and Licata, which are
also destination points for boats carrying irregular migrants.

Signing on behalf of IOM, the Organization's Regional
Representative in Rome welcomed the renewed support for the
inter-agency effort.

"Since its inception in Lampedusa, this cooperation between the
three organizations has significantly improved the treatment of
irregular migrants and asylum seekers reaching the island. We
expect similar results for Sicily," said IOM's Peter Schatzer.

For further information, please contact:

Flavio di Giacomo

IOM Rome

Tel: +39 06 4418 620

E-mail: "mailto:dgiacomo@iom.int">dgiacomo@iom.int