Closer cooperation in protecting the human
rights of migrants and the need to address the dangers of irregular
migration are the focus of an agreement being signed today in
Bucharest between the Organization of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) and the International Organization for Migration
(IOM).

The signing is taking place during the seventh
meeting of the BSEC Ministers of Interior/Public Order, organized
by the Romanian Chairmanship of the organization.

"The agreement with the BSEC is an important
milestone towards more concrete cooperation in a region crucial for
better migration management. It will lay the groundwork for
concrete cooperation with the governments in the "wider Europe" as
well", said IOM Director General, Brunson McKinley.

The two organizations have agreed to maximize
cooperation and to eliminate any unnecessary duplication between
them through the exchange of information and documentation and
through technical cooperation and joint action.

Areas for mutual cooperation and action
include regional dialogue, the provision of expert and legal advice
to BSEC member states in migration-related areas, communication and
cooperation on border controls, assistance to migrants wanting to
return home voluntarily, and countering human trafficking. This
latter issue encompasses protection for victims of trafficking and
irregular migration in addition to information campaigns and
training programmes for relevant stakeholders involved in the fight
against human trafficking.

Regional cooperation is seen by both
Organizations as an essential component of the integration of new
EU member states, candidate countries and others into Europe as a
whole. The success of that integration is linked to human rights
and fundamental freedoms, prosperity through economic liberty,
social justice as well as a security and stability.

The Black Sea region, which is an origin,
transit and destination region for migration, is facing significant
challenges in dealing with migration issues such as human
trafficking. A huge area encompassing 20 million square kilometres
and 400 million people, the region is also host to several
different socio-economic and political situations, with most
countries undergoing economies in transition. Although many
countries in the region are migrant sending countries, some such as
Turkey, Bulgaria and Ukraine are increasing become destination
countries.

For further information, please contact:

Dani Kozak

IOM Bucharest

Tel: + 40 742040211

Email: "mailto:dkozak@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">dkozak@iom.int