The International Organization for Migration celebrates its 70th anniversary
05 December 2021 News
The 70th anniversary of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is celebrated today, December 5, 2021.
Originally established as the Intergovernmental Committee on European Migration, the organization has been a leading intergovernmental organization on migration for 70 years. It has been included in the UN system since 2016. 170 countries are members of IOM, including Bulgaria. Another 8 have observer status.
IOM is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization has offices in over 100 countries.
IOM actively cooperates with government institutions, intergovernmental organizations and the non-governmental sector. The work of the organization is dedicated to the promotion of systematic and humane management of migration, international cooperation on migration issues, providing humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced persons.
Bulgaria has been a member of the IOM since 1994. In 2000, the Cooperation Agreement between Bulgaria and the IOM entered into force. The mission of the organization in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian government have a common goal to promote the development and implementation of policies that meet modern migration challenges and aim to achieve an optimal balance between respect for the principles of free movement of people, combating irregular migration and protection of migrants' rights.
Bulgaria hopes that the IOM will continue to be committed to tackling the current issues in the field of migration, including illegal migration and human trafficking, the use of migration and refugee flows for political purposes, the return of illegal residents and their reintegration in their countries of origin.