As part of the recent visit of the Regional Director of IOM for South America to Asuncion, Paraguay, it was presented jointly with the General Director of Immigration of Paraguay and the Chief of IOM Mission in Paraguay the new project funded by the IOM Development: "Strengthening the Migration System Paraguay Government".

This project that will be executed over the next 12 months, has among its objectives the development of a document of Migration Policy and a draft of Migration Law, to be developed by government entities associated and validated by a team of work and civil society. Developing a diagnostic document for the modernization of management and migration management, including an evaluation of the field of information systems, infrastructure and personnel available at border posts is also contemplated. Finally, there   will be conducted training for officials of institutions responsible for migration management.

President Cartes expressed his support for the IOM project, and emphasized the importance of migration issues in the development vision of its government, and its relevance in terms of international relations, in a global and regional level.

The Paraguayan immigration system rests on a General Migration Act that has been outdated given the current context of the country, with a momentum to develop policies and modernization of state institutions that the current management implements. It is add to this that Paraguay does not have a specific immigration policy, guiding objectives and strategies that define the national interest in immigration and emigration, and that both these processes place a vision of human development. Another problem that is identified is the fact of the existence of immigrants rooted in the country, but without proper plural inclusion in society, especially in areas bordering Brazil. Also, according to the "Immigration Regime of the Republic of Paraguay" it is recognized as a relevant factor to provide to the Department of Immigration of a computer system nationally programmed, with a software of own domain implementing the articulation and interconnection between headquarters with border centers and delegations.

As part of this visit to Paraguay, meetings were also held with the Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs, the General Attorneys Office, the President of the Deputies Chamber and the Minister – Secretary of the Secretary of Development for Returnees and Co-nationals Refugees. The different authorities expressed their satisfaction with the work of IOM in the country. Some of the main themes of the migration agenda in Paraguay that were discussed at the meeting were: the impact of the Human Trafficking in Paraguay; attention to the Paraguayans abroad; reintegration of Paraguayan returnees and immigrants in Paraguay and new flows among others. The importance of including the immigration issue in the process of post-2015 development was highlighted in the conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The authorities of Paraguay reaffirmed their commitment and active support of the South American Conference on Migration (CSM) as the main non-binding governmental migration forum in the region.

According to the Paraguay Migration Profile 2011, there are approximately 777,901 Paraguayans immigrants (representing 12% of the population), while the number of foreigners in Paraguay was counted in 173,000 (3.4% of the population censused in 2002). The document also highlights the importance that the Paraguay immigration policy is in line with the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international agreements among other transcendental points.

For more information please contact with:

Eduardo Carrillo
Press Assistant- International Migration Office- IOM
Email: ecarrillo@iom.int
Cell Phone Number: +595 981-50-90-20
Office Number: +595 21-296-882