IOM's Centre for Assistance to Temporarily Displaced Persons (CATD)
in the western town of Guiglo has closed its doors exactly a year
after the official reunification of the country.

The centre, which opened in December 2003, provided humanitarian
assistance to thousands of mostly West African migrant workers who
fled ethnic strife in 2002 and 2003.  At its peak, it hosted
up to 7,900 internally displaced people (IDPs), whom IOM
subsequently helped to return and reintegrate in Western Cote
d'Ivoire.

"The closure of the centre symbolizes the success of the peace
process in Cote d'Ivoire," says IOM Abidjan Chief of Mission
Jacques Seurt. "IOM will continue to work with its Ivorian and UN
partners to strengthen reconciliation between communities of former
displaced West African migrant workers and host communities," he
adds.

IOM's successful return and reintegration activities, which were
carried out in coordination with national and local authorities,
humanitarian agencies and partner NGOs, were funded by the US
Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), the European
Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO), the UN Central
Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Government of Norway.

IOM is appealing for an additional USD 2 million to expand its
peace consolidation, return and community rehabilitation programmes
in Cote d'Ivoire in 2008/2009.

For more information, please contact:

Jacques Seurt

Tel +225 07 46 85 78

IOM Abidjan

E-mail: "mailto:jseurt@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">jseurt@iom.int