IOM in Belgium
The First agreement signed between the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration, now the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Government of Belgium dates from 1973. It was revised in 1996 due to the change in the Organization’s name.
IOM Country Office for Belgium and Luxembourg
In Belgium, IOM is represented by the Country Office for Belgium and Luxembourg.
The Country Office develops and implements several programmes and projects, working closely with institutions such as the Belgian Ministry for Social Integration, Fedasil, the Belgian Immigration Office, the Belgian Development Cooperation, the European Commission, the Luxemburgish Ministry of Family and Integration amongst other major donors and/or key partners.
In Luxembourg, IOM’s main support relates to Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR), providing migrants residing in Luxembourg with tailor-made assistance in their return back home.
In terms of major activities implemented in Belgium, the Return and Emigration of Asylum Seekers ex Belgium (REAB) programme, funded by the Government of Belgium since 1984, and the Migration for Development in Africa (MIDA) programme funded by the Belgian Development Cooperation since 2001 should be highlighted.
For more information, visit the website of IOM’s Country Office for Belgium and Luxembourg.
IOM Regional Office for the European Economic Area (EEA), the EU and NATO
The IOM Regional Office for the European Economic Area (EEA), the EU and NATO (RO Brussels) acts as IOM’s regional liaison and coordination office to the European Union (EU) and NATO, and provides policy, programme and resource management support to the IOM offices in the EEA plus Switzerland. RO Brussels also supports IOM offices worldwide on EU-related policy, programmes, legislation and cooperation.
All EU Member States (plus Norway and Switzerland) are also Member States of IOM.
IOM RO Brussels maintains liaison and partnerships with Governments in the region, and routinely provides technical support for the development of national migration frameworks and to strengthen migration management systems. The office also maintains liaison and partnerships with development partners and civil society within the region. Furthermore, RO Brussels coordinates IOM's relations and liaison with the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, the World Customs Organization and other multilateral bodies with headquarters in the region.
In addition to its liaison, coordination and technical support role, RO Brussels coordinates, manages and implements IOM projects and activities which have a European regional dimension.
RO Brussels also implemented the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Observatory on Migration, which was an initiative of the ACP Secretariat, funded by the European Union with the financial support of Switzerland, IOM, the IOM Development Fund and UNFPA. The ACP Observatory was created to gather and disseminate information on different areas of South-South migration. Before its closing conference in June 2014, it carried out research and capacity-building activities aimed at facilitating policymaking and the mainstreaming of South-South migration for development.
For more information, visit the website of IOM’s Regional Office for the EEA, EU and NATO.
Last updated: February 2016
Facts and figures: February 2016
