On December 19, a contribution agreement was signed in Tunis,
whereby the European Union (EU) entrusted IOM with EUR 9.9 million
to establish the preconditions required to support transition
processes and promote sustainable recoveries in Egypt, Tunisia and
Libya.

More specifically, under this comprehensive three year
programme, which will commence on 1 January 2012, IOM will seek to
address emerging migration-related challenges in each target
country.

In Libya, IOM will strengthen capacities and mechanisms to
address labour market needs through human capital development and
regular migration, with an initial focus on sectors critical to the
country's transition and recovery. To this end, IOM will facilitate
the temporary deployment of 100 foreign health professionals to
Libya, where the mass exodus of migrant workers, including skilled
medical staff, has affected some services. At the same time, IOM
will also support the government to review migration-related
policies and legislation and strengthen national capacities to
manage migration flows.

In Egypt and Tunisia, IOM will support governmental and
non-governmental efforts to prevent irregular migration and
stabilize at-risk communities, including those which suffer high
unemployment pressure and/or are struggling to absorb returnees.
Indeed, according to the Governments of Egypt and Tunisia, over
200,000 Egyptians and 82,000 Tunisians have returned to their
respective home countries due to the conflict in Libya – in
most cases, losing their sole source of income. In Egypt and
Tunisia, IOM will also take measures to ensure Libyans' and other
migrants' continued access to basic services, including health
care, as well as to strengthen local capacities to cope with future
migration surges.

"It is fundamental", says IOM Chief of Mission in Tunis, Lorena
Lando, "to ensure that migration remains a key issue on the agenda
of North-African countries, particularly in the aftermath of the
political changes that have affected the region".

The EU has responded swiftly to developments in its Southern
Neighbourhood and this contribution once again highlights the EU's
commitment to strengthening links with its neighbours in the South
and supporting democratic processes in the region.

The Head of the European Union Delegation in Tunisia, Ambassador
Adrianus Koetsenruijter, commented: "The signature of this new
contribution agreement with IOM will play a key role in
strengthening migration management capacity of the new government
in Libya and at the same time will help preserve the economic and
political stability in Egypt and Tunisia by supporting those
communities which are particularly affected by high
unemployment".

For further information, please contact:

Siobhan Simojoki

IOM Cairo

Tel: + 201 01625 5504

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

or

Stéphanie Carette

at the EU Delegation to Tunisia

Tel: +216-71960330

E-mail: "mailto:Stephanie.carette@eeas.europa.eu">Stephanie.carette@eeas.europa.eu