IOM launched the first regional inter-state workshop on irregular
migration in Jordan, on March 23rd.

The three-day event was backed by the Jordanian Ministry of
Interior and was attended by a Jordanian delegation as well as by
an inter-ministerial team from Egypt and high-level officials from
the Lebanese government.

Director of the Jordanian Ministry of Interior's International
Relations Department, Mr. Adel Al Hadeed, opened the workshop
emphasizing the importance of intra-regional cooperation in
addressing challenges associated with irregular migration.

"The workshop provides an excellent opportunity for three of the
main players in the Middle East to meet and discuss irregular
migration flows in the region and highlight the common challenges
that they face in dealing with the phenomenon," IOM Project Manager
Jason Clarke explained. "This event builds upon existing
inter-governmental relationships and encourages the establishment
of a regular regional dialogue on the subject," he added

This is the first in a series of inter-state meetings within the
framework of an ongoing project on building governmental and
non-governmental capacities on managing migration flows in Egypt,
Jordan and Lebanon. IOM will provide national-level training in
participating countries to civil servants on Migration Management,
International Migration Law, Data Management, and Irregular
Migration. The next meeting is scheduled for May, 2010 in
Egypt.

For more information, please contact:

Jason Clarke

MRF Cairo

Tel: + 201 7222 8371

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