Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration. IOM works in collaboration with its governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners to:
- Assist in meeting the growing operational challenges of migration
- Advance understanding of migration issues
- Encourage social and economic development through migration
- Respect and uphold the well-being and human rights of migrants.
With 169 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. Niger is an IOM Member State since 2004.
IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.
On 19 September 2016, the IOM Director General and the UN Secretary-General signed an agreement, whereby IOM became a Related Organization of the UN .Through the Agreement the UN recognizes IOM as an indispensable actor in the field of human mobility. This includes protection of migrants and displaced people in migration-affected communities, as well as in areas of refugee resettlement and voluntary returns, and incorporates migration in country development plans.
IOM NIGER
IOM Niger, through its offices in Niamey and the regions, supports the Nigerien government in identifying migration challenges and in formulating appropriate responses. The IOM Regional Office for West and Central Africa is located in Dakar, Senegal.
The main office in Niamey coordinates four sub – offices in Zinder, Diffa, Agadez and Tillabéry and five transit centers in Dirkou, Arlit, Niamey (2) and Agadez.
IOM Niger works closely with other United Nations agencies in the country as well as with the French and Nigerien Red Cross and the main national and international NGOs operating in the region. IOM Niger is a member of both the United Nations country team and the humanitarian country team and is in charge of coordinating the shelter and non-food-items working group.
In terms of human resources, IOM Niger had 170 staff members at the end of 2016, including 32 international and 138 national staff. Agadez and Diffa sub-offices are headed by international staff deployed to the field.
IOM Niger projects cover the following service areas:
- Humanitarian Communications;
- Displacement Tracking;
- Shelter and Non-food items;
- Transport Assistance for Affected Communities;
- Health Support;
- Psychosocial Support;
- Reintegration Assistance;
- Community Stabilization and Transition;
- Resilience Building;
- Counter Trafficking and Protection of Vulnerable Migrants;
- Technical Assistance for Humanitarian Border Management;
- Emergency Consular Assistance;
- Migration Policy and Legislation Support.