Established in 1951, IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration. It works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.

With 120 member states and a further 20 states holding observer status, the IOM operates offices in over 100 countries. It is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and recommendations to governments and migrants.

In 1993 an IOM special assessment team visited Georgia and in November of the same year the organization was officially registered and began dialogue with the government of Georgia on migration issues.  

The main objectives of IOM in Georgia are:

• To strengthen the capacity of the government of Georgia to address the growing challenges of migration management, to develop sound migration policies and practices, and to contribute to development and mutual understanding among people through proper migration management.  
• To facilitate the development of a national migration strategy and action plan with the aim of creating an adequate legal and institutional framework on migration issues with the view of approximating to EU standards. 

 

In coordination with the United States, the EU and other international partners, IOM is committed to working with the government of Georgia to enhance the country’s border protection systems. IOM aims to facilitate bringing the borders to internationally recognized standards through upgrading the border data management system, providing technical equipment for the borders, strengthening the infrastructure of border crossing points and increasing the number of highly trained border police and customs officers.

 

Since 2000, IOM has actively partnered with the Georgian government on combating human trafficking through research, an ongoing preventive information campaign, training of government officials and providing assistance in the safe return and reintegration of trafficking victims. 

 

Under the EU funded “informed Migration” project, IOM facilitates a dialogue on inter-regional migration and asylum management (the so-called “Cluster” Process) between the sending and transit countries of the South Caucasus, including Georgia, and receiving EU Member States. The project also promotes mechanisms and policies to reduce irregular migration while simultaneously strengthening Georgia’s institutional capacity and systems to promote legal migration and sustainable return and reintegration practices and policies.

IOM operates voluntary return and reintegration programmes from Switzerland and the United Kingdom as well as case-by-case returns from the Czech Republic, Poland, Ireland and Belgium. The assistance is designed to help migrants identify income generating activities to encourage financial independence. Since 2003, IOM has assisted more than 200 Georgian citizens to return and resettle back home.

 

IOM is engaged with the Ministries of Education, Labour and Economic Development to develop and apply efficient job counselling and referral mechanisms. The centre established by IOM aims to serve excess personnel from the Ministries of Defense and Interior, the Georgian migrants returning voluntarily from different destinations in Europe, potential migrants and, eventually, the population of the country in search of jobs. 

Refugee resettlement in safe third countries

In cooperation with the US Embassy, UNHCR and the government of Canada, IOM acts as a local point of contact for the safe third country destinations for outbound migrants. IOM receives and processes initial applications, assists with the pre-interview registration and case processing, medical examinations, transportation and arrival assistance. Since 2001, IOM has organized and assisted the departure of 300 refugees to the United States, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland and France.