The improvement of migration management capacity and functions in the ex-Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) was a priority for the FRY Government, and for the EC and other parties. Through various regional mechanisms and processes, including the actions of the Asylum and Migration Support Unit of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe (A&M SPSEE), and through the upcoming EC CARDS programme, as well as through various bilateral and national initiatives, the FRY Government was called upon to fulfil an increasing array of tasks. Among these initiatives, the A&M SPSEE established a quadrilateral team process including France, Hungary and Switzerland in an active advisory role to FRY. The Government of FRY has been a willing and active partner in these actions, yet the proliferation of actions, processes and tasks did tax the ability of the FRY Government, and of the partners in these processes, to respond.
Responding to the needs of FRY and of the partners in the various processes, IOM proposed to establish a Migration Management Support Unit at IOM Belgrade. This Unit has provided services to support the actions of FRY in the various processes and initiatives, including: document identification, provision and translation; interpreting services at key bilateral and multilateral meetings arising from the various migration improvement initiatives; and creation and regular updating of migration assistance situation reports to summarize ongoing and proposed actions.
The pilot funding provided through the 1035 project line did cover the piloting stage of approximately six months.