Addis Ababa - On 19 and 21 May, IOM, the UN Migration Agency, hosted a consultation with Ethiopian regional Government representatives and local stakeholders to discuss how the Framework Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (“Framework SOPs)” can be best adapted to the national reintegration plans and referral mechanisms in Ethiopia.

The consultation was held in the Hadiya and Kembata Tembaro Zone of the Southern, Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR), which is prone to irregular migration.

These SOPs were developed by IOM to provide a common understanding and ensure a consistent approach in the context of the EU-IOM External Actions to Support Migrant Protection and Reintegration of Returnees, including the roles and responsibilities of different actors involved. They constitute a living document that will be updated upon new developments and needs.

As national contexts vary, to best support returnees, the Framework SOPs implemented across various regions need to be nationalized. A key aim of the localization process is to guarantee inclusivity and participation of relevant stakeholders in the reintegration process. Participants in the consultations included the regional state focal persons, Rural Youth Job Creation, the Labor and Social Affairs Bureau, the Bureau of Women and Children Affairs, the Regional Education Bureau, Local Development Agencies and Micro Finance Institutions.

Since June 2017, IOM has helped 1017 Ethiopian migrants return home and is currently processing reintegration assistance for the first 120 returnees, which includes support for agricultural business development. IOM’s reintegration support is rooted on a sustainable community-based approach.

More consultations will be held with Government and local development associations in Oromia, Amhara and Tigray regions in the coming months. These consultations are part of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration, which facilitates orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration management through the development of rights-based and development-focused policies and processes on protection and sustainable reintegration. The EU-IOM Joint Initiative is funded by the EU Trust Fund and implemented in close collaboration with 26 African countries. 

For more information, please contact Helina Mengistu at IOM SLO Addis Ababa, Tel: +251 11 557 1550 (Ext 109), Email: hmengistu@iom.int