IOM is taking part in a three-day meeting organized by UNHCR and
the Government of Djibouti on how best to respond to the needs of
migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees who find themselves in
situations of distress at sea.

The meeting, which opens today in Djibouti, brings together
government representatives and academics alongside experts from
UNHCR, IOM, the International Maritime Organization, the ICRC and
IFRC.

Participants aim to identify challenges in responding to
distress at sea situations involving people with various profiles
and needs, including migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. They
will also seek to outline specific measures to improve rescue at
sea arrangements, promote interstate cooperation and develop
practical measures for the rescue and disembarkation of rescued
people.

International attention has recently focused on the movement of
Somalis and Ethiopians across the Gulf of Aden, on the increasing
numbers of sea arrivals in Australia, and on the outflow of people
from North Africa to Europe.

Despite the recurrence of situations involving people in
distress at sea, search and rescue operations, disembarkation,
processing and the identification of solutions for those rescued,
including for persons of concern to UNHCR, are recurring challenges
for States, international organizations and the shipping
industry.

"Despite the tightening of existing Conventions to reinforce the
global Search and Rescue regime, gaps remain when it comes to
putting these principles into practice," says IOM's Irena
Vojackova-Sollorano. "Cooperative approaches that bring together
governments, the shipping industry, NGOs and international
organizations are therefore urgently needed if we are to ensure the
safety and protection of all people rescued at sea."

The respect for the human rights of all beneficiaries of rescue
at sea operations, regardless of their legal status is paramount.
The special needs of vulnerable groups, such as unaccompanied
minors, women, victims of smugglers and traffickers, and persons in
need of medical care must be given particular consideration in all
response activities, whether during rescue operations, on board, at
disembarkation and thereafter. Moreover, the principles of
international protection must always be respected and any migrants
rescued at sea that request asylum referred to UNHCR and relevant
national authorities.

As part of the Praesidium Project, IOM has been working with the
UNHCR and Save the Children since 2006 at the Reception and Rescue
Centre on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

The three Organizations recently voiced their concern over the
Italian authorities' decision to declare Lampedusa an unsafe port.
Such a decision could undermine the entire rescue at sea system for
migrants and asylum seekers by making rescue operations much more
hazardous and complex. The closing of the port in Lampedusa
effectively means that the Italian Coast Guards would have to
travel an additional 120 nautical miles to reach the next safe port
at Porto Empedocle in Sicily.

In February 2007, IOM provided assistance to a group of 369 male
Asian and African undocumented migrants who remained stranded
onboard an unseaworthy vessel for more than a week off the
Mauritanian coast. The ship, the Marine 1, was eventually allowed
to dock in the northern Mauritanian port of Nouadhibou where they
were assisted by IOM, the Mauritanian Red Crescent and Spanish Red
Cross.

For more information, please contact:

Vijaya Souri

IOM Djibouti

Tel: +41 79 635 2280

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