A roundtable bringing together representatives from the government,
international NGOs and donor countries will take place in Rabat on
9 November to discuss best practices in the field of voluntary
return assistance and reintegration for undocumented migrants
stranded in Morocco.

This event, funded by the Swiss Federal Office for Migration and
the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, will evaluate the
impact of a Swiss-funded programme which has so far provided return
and reintegration assistance to 122 stranded undocumented migrants
since March, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa. 

"More and more stranded migrants living in extreme poverty have
asked IOM to help them return to their families in Senegal, Gambia,
Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea Conakry, The Democratic Republic of the
Congo or Cameroun," says Stéphane Rostiaux, IOM's Chief of
Mission in Morocco. "Switzerland's funding has allowed us to
provide those migrants with much needed return and reintegration
assistance. But the needs remain considerable and we hope that
additional funding will soon be available to continue this
important humanitarian programme."

In 2007 alone, the Organization has assisted more than 850
stranded migrants in Morocco wanting to return home voluntarily, a
dramatic increase in requests since it began such operations two
years ago. A total of 1,156 stranded migrants have been helped in
that time.

Every year, thousands of undocumented migrants from Sub-Saharan
Africa try to reach the northern shores of the Mediterranean via
the Maghreb using smuggling networks. Many end up stranded in North
Africa with no financial resources and no documentation and are
therefore incapable of returning home.  

For more information, please contact:

Stéphane Rostiaux

IOM Rabat

Tel: + 212 61 44 08 38

E-mail: "mailto:srostiaux@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">srostiaux@iom.int