IOM Mission in Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco has been an IOM Member State since 1998. The Organization has been present in Morocco since early 2000 with a Headquarters Agreement signed in July 2006 and an official opening of the country mission in January 2007.

Originally under the supervision of IOM’s Mission with Regional Functions in Rome, following the internal IOM restructuring, IOM Morocco is now embedded in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, reporting to the Regional Office in Cairo.

IOM is an active member of the UN Country Team and chairs the Thematic Group on Migration (www.un.org.ma).  

Currently, IOM Morocco focuses on three major axes of work: migration and development; migration assistance; and youth support and social development.

Migration and Development

Main Projects

• Mobilization of Moroccans Residing in Belgium for the Development of Morocco (MEDMA2)
• Joint Migration and Development Initiative (JMDI)
• Temporary Return of Qualified Nationals III (TRQN III)
• Migration Mainstreaming into National Development Planning

MEDMA2

The project “Mobilization of Moroccans Residing in Belgium for the Development of Morocco” (MEDMA2) is a three-year pilot project which has started in August 2012. The project focuses on maximizing the positive impact of the Moroccan diaspora for the development of Morocco through mobilizing their competencies and resources. With funding provided by the Belgian Development Cooperation, IOM Morocco together with IOM Brussels, the Ministry for Moroccans Residing Abroad and Migration Affairs (MCMREAM), and the Foundation Hassan II for Moroccans Residing Abroad aims to strengthen investment networks between Belgium and Morocco, and provides individualized assistance to investors by facilitating investment and business set-up in Morocco.

JMDI

IOM Morocco is participating in the second phase of the Joint Migration and Development Initiative (JMDI) (http://www.migration4development.org/), a multi-country project implemented in Morocco by UNDP and IOM since 2013. Funded by the European Union and the Government of Switzerland, JMDI targets civil society and local authorities in both countries of origin and destination. The programme works on i) setting up and reinforcing networks of actors working on migration and development, ii) identifying good practices and sharing information, and iii) feeding into policy-making on migration and development. During the first phase of the initiative (from 2009-2012), seven small-scale projects were implemented throughout Morocco. During the ongoing  second phase JMDI supports the scaling-up of two ongoing initiatives led or supported by local authorities, that after a selection process were identified as particularly promising in terms of their intervention methods, development impact, scope and potential. The JMDI also aims to reinforce the capacities of local administrations and stakeholders involved by developing knowledge tools and by offering training modules that will supply relevant information for achieving significant and coherent impact of Migration and Development initiatives.

TRQN III

Temporary Return of Qualified Nationals (TRQN III) is a continuous project managed by IOM’s Office in the Netherlands together with participating countries of origin. TRQN III encourages qualified and skilled Moroccans living abroad to return temporarily to Morocco to facilitate training and capacity building programmes. The project is equally implemented in Afghanistan, Armenia, Cabo Verde, Georgia, Ghana, Iraq, Somalia and South Sudan. IOM links the needs of institutions, NGOs or the private sector in the target countries with experienced nationals residing abroad. In turn the initiative contributes to the implementation of national development policies involving governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, as well as diaspora communities residing abroad.

Migration Mainstreaming into National Development Planning

Since 2005, the importance of integrating migration into development planning has been underlined in the global policy discourse on migration and development, such as at the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). Financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), this project was initially launched in 2011 to allow four countries to comprehensively address migration and development inter-linkages into their national policies and programmes. The current, second phase of the joint IOM-UNDP programme started in 2014, and includes Morocco among the eight target countries (including also Bangladesh, Jamaica, Moldova, Serbia, Tunisia, Kyrgyzstan, and Ecuador).

It has been designed to pursue two overarching objectives: i) to enable countries to integrate migration into national development planning documents and processes, and continuously adjust their approaches to migration and development, and ii) to foster an active and mutual beneficial partnership among countries on migration and development, and migration mainstreaming in particular. The programme will enhance government capacities related to development analysis, project formulation and implementation and institutional coherence. Moreover, in the framework of this joint programme, the inter-agency coherence and the capacity of the Moroccan UN Country Team will be strengthened through capacity development interventions. 

Support to Fondation Abeo for the Guide-Entreprise website

Since November 2013, following discussions with one of the main partners of the Belgian cooperation agency, the Abeo foundation, IOM Morocco took over the management of the section dedicated to Morocco on www.guide-entreprise.org/maroc. This website provides useful and updated information for entrepreneurs and investors in Africa (Algeria, Benin, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Rwanda and Senegal). Special attention is given to small and medium enterprises by helping them to refine their projects, to evaluate necessary funds, to identify ways of funding and potential ad hoc donors.

Migrant Assistance

Main Projects

• Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR)
• Empowering Governments to Address Mixed Migratory Flows and Protect Migrants Transiting to, through and from North Africa (Mixed Migration)
• Humanitarian Assistance and Protection to Sub-Saharan African Migrants in Morocco
• Benefit from the Orientation to Integration Services through E-Learning (E-BOSLA)
• Vocational Training and livelihood opportunities for regularized migrants in Morocco

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration

IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme is run annually with funding from European host countries and the Moroccan Government. The programme has two different components: i) assistance to return and reintegration offered to vulnerable migrants residing irregularly in Morocco who would like to return to their country of origin but do not have the means to do so, and ii) reintegration assistance to Moroccans returning back home.

With regard to AVRR from Morocco, IOM coordinates not only the logistics necessary for return, such as transportation and the preparation of travel documents, but also immediate assistance, such as medical assistance for victims of human trafficking or unaccompanied minors. In collaboration with local partners, IOM offers also pre-departure counselling such as sensitization courses on return and trainings on how to set-up and manage a micro-business. Assistance for reintegration activities back home is an integral part of the return process. In cooperation with the Government of Morocco, Embassies of countries of origin and the civil society, IOM Morocco has assisted over 4,700 irregular migrants to return to their country of origin between 2005 and 2014.

As for AVRR to Morocco, since 2007, IOM has assisted more than 500 Moroccans to reintegrate in their home country. Tailored according to the needs of returnees, IOM provides material, medical or housing assistance, as well as training, to promote sustainable return and reintegration.

E-BOSLA

Benefit from the Orientation to Integration Services through E-Learning (E-BOSLA) is a pilot project entering its third phase, funded by the Italian Ministry of Interior to offer pre-departure orientation classes for Moroccans wishing to reunite with family members residing in Italy. The project is a response to a change in Italian government policy whereby migrants must display a certain level of spoken Italian and cultural knowledge within two years of arrival. In partnership with the Entraide Nationale, IOM Morocco facilitates a pre-departure service, consisting of language lessons and cultural orientation, which enable Moroccan nationals to meet Italian government requirements.

Empowering Governments to Address Mixed Migratory Flows and Protect Migrants Transiting to, through and from North Africa (Mixed Migration)

Funded by the IOM Development Fund, IOM Morocco is part of a regional project (including also Tunisia and Egypt) aiming to develop a coherent and common approach for participating  governments on how to respond effectively to mixed migration flows. The project foresees a set of capacity building activities including technical assistance, knowledge sharing and dialogue, and encourages governments to develop strategies to better protect the rights and needs of vulnerable migrant groups, both at regional and national levels.

Humanitarian Assistance and Protection to Sub-Saharan African Migrants in Morocco

Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), a project was launched in June 2013 in partnership with two local NGOs in the Northeast of Morocco to reinforce humanitarian assistance to vulnerable irregular migrants and victims of trafficking including orientation and support towards health structures, delivery of non-food items and awareness-raising on hygiene and other health issues. Moreover, the project develops protection and monitoring capacities of Moroccan authorities, media and civil society through in-depth training, capacity building, general awareness raising campaigns and sensitization activities.

Vocational Training and Livelihood Opportunities for Regularized Migrants in Morocco

The project “Vocational Training and Livelihood Opportunities for Regularized Migrants in Morocco” funded by the IOM Development Fund, aims to enhance the capacity of the Government of Morocco with regard to the integration of migrants benefiting from the 2014 regularization campaign. The vocational training will allow regularized migrants access to basic social services and the labour market under the same conditions as Moroccan citizens. IOM Morocco in partnership with several relevant national institutions and NGOs will facilitate the integration of the target group by providing tailored trainings to improve their employability and enhance their capacity for self-employment and for setting up micro-enterprise.

Youth Support and Social Development

Main Projects

• Favorable Opportunities to Reinforce Self-Advancement for Today’s Youth (FORSATY)
• Solidarity with the Children from Maghreb and Mashreq (SALEMM) 

FORSATY
“Favorable Opportunities to Reinforce Self-Advancement for Today’s Youth” (FORSATY) is a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project seeks to prevent youth delinquency and reduce recidivism among at-risk youth aged between 15 and 25 in disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Tangier and Tetouan, Northern Morocco. It works in partnership with local counterparts to improve social inclusion of marginalized youth through a “positive youth development” approach: youth in selected neighbourhoods benefit from education, livelihoods, youth-friendly services and interventions with the goal of ensuring school success or employment opportunities. To ensure the sustainability and quality of services, the project improves the ability of youth-serving institutions to champion an assets-based approach to youth development through capacity building of local civil society as well as government partners.

SALEMM
“Solidarity with the Children from Maghreb and Mashreq” (SALEMM) targets the migration of unaccompanied migrant children (UMCs) from Morocco. It aims at fostering the socio-economic integration of potentially marginalized youths by reinforcing existing local structures. With funding provided by the EU, Italy and Switzerland, IOM national offices in Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia work together and share a dialogue with local and governmental authorities and institutions to strengthening social, cultural and economic systems. These systems are strengthened with training and capacity building workshops, coupled with awareness raising campaigns about services available to vulnerable youths including social activities, vocational training, educational orientation, and psycho-social support. The project builds on the previous implementation of SALEMM in the Moroccan towns of Khouribga in Chaouia Ouardigha, and Beni Mellal in Tadla-Azilal.