A new agreement signed this week in Tegucigalpa between IOM, the
Honduran Director General of Migration, the Catholic Scalabrini
Sisters, who run the Center for Returning Migrants, and the
Honduran Professional Training Institute, will increase the
coordination and assistance provided to migrants returned from the
United States.

According to the National Migration Forum of Honduras (FONAMIH
by its Spanish acronym) between 800,000 and one million Hondurans
live outside their country; the vast majority in the United States
(800,000 to 850,000).

In 2005, 18,941 Hondurans were repatriated from the United
States, and so far in 2006 20,318 have been returned.

As part of the agreement, IOM and its partners meet the
returning migrants at the Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula airports
and provide initial assistance such as shelter or onward transport
to their places of origin, food, medical care, clothing, and legal
and psychosocial counselling

The second phase of the assistance provided includes helping
those who wish to return to school or to join vocational training
programs, micro credit schemes, and assist them in their job
search.

For more information please contact:

Norberto Girón

IOM Honduras

Tel: 504-220-1104

E-mail: "mailto:ngiron@iom.un.hn">ngiron@iom.un.hn