A concert organized by IOM, the Community of Sahel-Saharan States
(CEN-SAD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will
later today in Tripoli bring top performers from Ghana and Niger as
part of efforts to raise awareness on the pitfalls of irregular
migration.

Renowned Ghanaian singer and songwriter Amandzeba will perform
to thousands alongside Sogha, a famous band from Niger to convey
the central message of the event: whatever your aspirations are, be
properly informed so as to make the right decision.

As part of the event, community leaders and migrants who've
failed in their attempt to reach Europe will testify on their
ordeal. IOM representatives will inform prospective migrants on the
realities of migration abroad and convey information on both the
opportunities of legal migration and limitations of irregular
migration.

This initiative has received the support of the Libyan
authorities and IOM's awareness message is relayed by three leading
Libyan non-governmental organizations, the World Islamic Call
Society (WICS), the International Organization for Peace, Care and
Relief (IOPCR) and Al-Wafa.

Every year, thousands of irregular migrants, mostly from
Sub-Saharan Africa try to reach European shores after long and
dramatic journeys through the Sahara desert. 

"So many stranded migrants come to IOM for assistance saying
they would have never embarked on such horrific journeys had they
been made aware of the risks involved," says IOM's Michele
Bombassei in Tripoli. "Despite the economic downturn affecting
Europe, smugglers continue to sell bogus dreams to migrants, saying
they will be welcomed because no one in Europe wants to work."

With some 4,000 kilometres of land and 1,700 kilometres of sea
borders, Libya is both a transit and a destination country for
migrants. Irregular migrants are drawn to Libya by the demand for
unskilled labour and the strength of the local economy, and now
numbering between 1 and 1.5 million, as well as its proximity to
southern Europe.

However, since the start of joint Italian-Libyan patrols in the
Mediterranean in May this year, there has been a dramatic decrease
in the number of irregular migrants arriving on the Italian island
of Lampedusa, with centres on the island now completely empty of
migrants.

In response to requests from African and Asian embassies in
Tripoli, IOM has been providing voluntary return and comprehensive
reintegration assistance to irregular migrants who wish to return
home. 

To date, the programme, which is co-funded by the European Union
and Italy, with additional support from the United Kingdom, has
helped close to 4,000 destitute migrants from 25 African and Asian
countries.

For more info, please contact:

Michele Bombassei

IOM Tripoli

Tel: +218-92 74 05 371

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