IOM will this week open its fifth office in Mexico, in Acayucan,
State of Veracruz, one of the most important migratory routes for
irregular migrants transiting through Mexico.

Since 2005 IOM Mexico has implemented an Assisted Voluntary
Return (AVR) programme,  in close coordination with Mexico's
National Migration Institute (INM by its Spanish acronym) in order
to provide safe return options for irregular extra-regional
migrants who wish to return to their countries of origin.

According to the INM's Centre for Migration Studies, since 2009
the average number of border crossings per year has been two
million. An estimated 400,000 of these are citizens from
neighbouring Central American countries.

To date, IOM Mexico has assisted more than 7,800 migrants from
38 countries to return home voluntarily.  Most of the migrants
assisted are from South America, although in the past two years
there has been a significant increase in the number of Asians and
Africans requesting return assistance.

Working with the INM, this new IOM sub-office will focus on
providing information and interviewing migrants who are eligible
and who wish to participate in the AVR programme.

"The State of Veracruz is on one of the most important transit
routes used by irregular migrants transiting through Mexico. It is
also one of the most dangerous," explains IOM Mexico Chief of
Mission Thomas Lothar Weiss.

According to a 2010 report by Mexico's National Human Rights
Commission (CNDH by its Spanish acronym), more than 11,000 migrants
were kidnapped in Mexico during a period of six months that
year.  Veracruz was the state with the highest number of
testimonies from migrant victims, followed by Tabasco, Tamaulipas,
San Luis Potosi and Chiapas.

"The success of IOM Mexico's AVR Programme lies in the quality
and quantity of information provided to migrants in order to help
migrants make informed decisions and understand the benefits of
returning to their countries of origin in a safe and orderly
manner.  This new office in Acayucan will allow IOM to be in
close contact with migrants and offer them these services," says
Weiss.

The new office in Acayucan office will also seek to improve
coordination with local authorities and provide support to help
them to cope with the increasing challenges posed by irregular
migration flows.

IOM has offices in Mexico City, the southern cities of Tapachula
and Tuxtla Gutierrez (Chiapas), and Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua) on
the northern border.

IOM has been present on Mexico's southern border since 2005,
working with the authorities to strengthen the capacity of local
government and civil society organizations working with victims of
trafficking, unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable
migrants.

For more information please contact:

Jose-Ramon Cordoba

IOM Mexico

Tel: +52 55 5536 3922

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