IOM and the Italian government are providing training to law
enforcers and officials from Libya and Niger as part of a programme
to improve migration management in the two countries. The training
is an important marker in the involvement of origin, transit and
destination countries in trying to address irregular migration.




Tens of thousands of people put their lives at risk each year by
attempting to cross a border illegally with thousands dying in the
process, especially in the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean Sea.




With more than 4,000 kilometres of land borders and some 2,000
kilometres coastline, Libya is a major transit point for migrants
from sub-Saharan Africa trying to reach Europe.



This year alone, just over 18,600 undocumented migrants have
arrived in Sicily and the Italian island of Lampedusa and more than
1,500 on the island of Malta.



The training in Tripoli, which lasts until 21st December, and part
of the Across Sahara programme financed by the European Commission
and the Italian Ministry of Interior, will help 30 border guards
and officials from Niger and Libya to identify false documentation
and the main irregular migration routes from Sub-Saharan Africa to
Europe. It will also train participants in the use of biometrics in
migration management as well as in international migration law, the
provision of humanitarian assistance to stranded migrants and in
carrying out search and rescue mission in the desert and at sea.




Two other similar training sessions will be held in January and
February 2007 for another 60 officials and follows training already
given to high ranking officials, judges and policy makers on
irregular migration, human smuggling and trafficking in the Niger
capital, Niamey, last month.

For further information, please contact:

Laurence Hart

IOM Tripoli

Tel: + 218 21 477 7838

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