IOM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of
China today formally launched the second phase of the Capacity
Building for Migration Management in China (CBMM China) project in
Beijing.

Senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs,
Commerce, Public Security and Civil Affairs attended the event,
together with representatives of the European Commission and
European Union (EU) member states.

Speaking at the launch, IOM Director General William Lacy Swing
said: "With the launch of this project, IOM will continue to
partner with the Chinese authorities to combat migrant smuggling
and human trafficking, as well as identify opportunities for
regular labour migration and protection of the rights of migrant
workers.  This is a significant milestone in the IOM-China
relationship and also reflects excellent cooperation between China
and Europe."

From 2007 to 2010, CBMM China Phase 1 trained 400 senior Chinese
officials, and reached nearly 1.5 million potential migrants
through information campaigns to deter irregular migration.

CBMM Phase 2, which will run through 2013, aims to build on
these achievements through a combination of trainings, workshops,
overseas study tours, policy analysis and research, and information
campaigns.

The project, which will be co-implemented by IOM and the
International Labour Organization (ILO), will focus on broad
cooperation designed to strengthen the development of Europe-China
cooperation and exchange on migration management through the
targeted exchange of personnel, expertise and information.

Project activities will be designed and conducted in close
collaboration with Chinese ministry partners and seven EU partner
member states – Italy, Hungary, Sweden, the United Kingdom,
Denmark, the Czech Republic and Germany – together with the
EU's Frontex border security agency.

The three-year project is principally funded by the EU with
co-funding from Italy, IOM, ILO and the United States.

For more information please contact:

Kieran Best

IOM Beijing

Tel: + 86 10 8532 5303, Ext. 203

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