Papua New Guinea
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Overview Migration ActivitiesIOM opened a country office in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2007 at the request of the Government of Papua New Guinea and with the financial support of the Australian Government. The opening of this office followed a major country assessment undertaken by IOM in 2004 in relation to migration management and border control in PNG, and subsequent signing of a Tripartite Agreement between the Governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea, and IOM in 2005. The role envisaged for IOM was initially focused on supporting the PNG Government’s efforts in enhancing migration management through provision of training to the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service (PNGICS), implementation of a Care, Maintenance and Assisted Voluntary Return Programme in PNG, and support for the development and testing of a Border Management System for PNG. In consultation with the PNG Government, in 2010 IOM expanded its activities in the area of counter-trafficking and migration data and research Discussions with the PNG Government continue to explore IOM’s possible involvement in the following potential areas of intervention: Disaster Management and Preparedness; Labour Migration; Migration, Climate Change and the Environment; and Migration, Gender and Health. Movement, Emergency and Post-crisis Migration Management Care, Maintenance and Assisted Voluntary Return The Care, Maintenance and Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programme builds on a scoping study undertaken by IOM in 2007 for the introduction of suitable measures to provide for the care, accommodation and travel needs of migrants referred to IOM by PNGICS until their status is determined. Under the programme, IOM provides migrants with care and maintenance services to meet their basic daily needs including accommodation, access to health care, food, counseling and social-psychological care. Upon assessment by UNHCR of their international protection claims and/or determination of the migrants’ status in PNG by PNG authorities, IOM makes travel arrangements and directly assists with either their voluntary return home or resettlement to third countries. Project
Humanitarian Assistance to Stranded Migrants (HASM) In October 2009, IOM facilitated the repatriation of 6 stranded fishermen from the Federated States of Micronesia to their native Tabar Island in the New Ireland Province of PNG. In January 2010, IOM again assisted with the repatriation of 5 stranded PNG nationals and the remains of two deceased bodies from the Republic of the Marshall Islands back to Mahur Island, also located in the New Ireland Province. Both groups were rescued after drifting in international waters for weeks, having been swept out to sea by unexpected storms and shifts in tides. Regulating Migration Border Management System The PNG Border Management System (BMS) project intends to provide assistance to the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service (PNGICS) to better manage the movement of people across PNG's borders. It specifically aims to support improved Visa, Border Alerts and Movement processes. PNGICS, DIAC and IOM have been working in close collaboration since this programme was initiated in 2008.. An IOM Business Analyst provides advice, mentoring and quality assurance work. An IOM Information, Communication and Technology (ITC) Expert provides technical support and coaching to PNGICS. In October 2009, IOM was involved in the successful deployment of a BMS in PNGICS Headquarters and Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby. Within the six months following this initial deployment, the BMS was further deployed in six of PNG's foreign missions including Australia, the Philippines, Malaysia and China. IOM provides training to PNG customs officers and PNGICS staff on the Border Management System. Project
Combating Trafficking in Persons in Papua New Guinea In 2010, IOM provided legal assistance to the Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG) on legislation drafting in the area of counter-trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. In September 2010, IOM together with DJAG hosted a regional workshop in Port Moresby to present and discuss the new People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Bill with over sixty major stakeholders in the government and non-government sector, including Pacific region and international participants. Technical assistance in legislation drafting evolved into a comprehensive 2-year project in support of the PNG Government’s efforts to combat trafficking in persons in the areas of: 1) Legislation and Policy; 2) Prevention through awareness campaigns and a 24 hour toll-free telephone hotline; 3) Prosecution through training for law enforcement and judiciary; and 4) Protection by assisting government and NGOs in implementing ad-hoc victim referral systems. In the course of the project, IOM has been appointed as Secretariat of the multi-agency National Human Trafficking Committee chaired by DJAG in December 2010. The Committee is comprised of government departments and bodies, non-governmental organizations, international organizations including UN agencies, and civil society that have a mandate or are committed to combating trafficking in persons. Project
Facilitating Migration PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Training Under a four-year programme funded by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and which started in 2007, IOM developed a Core Competency Training Package (CCTP) to assist the Papua New Guinea Immigration and Citizenship Service (PNGICS) in the delivery of a comprehensive training programme targeting entry and mid level officers. The CCTP, compiled in a trainer’s guide and a participant’s guide and workbook, is designed to enhance fundamental operational tasks and immigration-specific skills of PNGICS officers in managing migration and combating irregular migration. The CCTP is based on a training needs assessment conducted by IOM in 2008 and is in line with the Pacific Immigration Directors Conference (PIDC) views favoring the development of generic tools that will improve the capacity of the Pacific islands countries’ immigration systems as a whole. Training is currently ongoing. Project
Migration and Development ACP Migration Observatory Donor
IOM and a Consortium of 19 research partners have been entrusted by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Secretariat and the European Commission to set up a South-South Migration Observatory through a network of public and private research centers, government bodies and institutions in the ACP regions. The pilot phase comprises 12 selected countries, including Papua New Guinea. The objective of the ACP Observatory is to provide policy-makers, civil society and the public at large with reliable and harmonized data through applied research and research-actions on intra-regional migration. This three-year programme funded by the European Union was launched in Brussels in October 2010. Project
Future Programmes Upon request of the PNG Government, IOM stands ready to not only continue ongoing support but consider new areas of intervention including:
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IOM Papua New Guinea
International Organization for Migration
P.O. Box 1876
Port Moresby, NCD
Papua New Guinea
| Tel: | +67.5 321 36 55 |
| Fax: | +67.5 321 36 28 |
Partners
- PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service (PNGICS)
- PNG Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG)
- Australia Strongim Gavman Programme (SGP)
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
