An IOM study aimed at helping the Armenian government, academia and
other national bodies formulate a national policy for migration
data management, was released yesterday in Yerevan.

The Italian funded project notes that while migration data has
been collected and stored for many years, there is currently no
system in place to manage the information to set up policies that
will match national needs, regional priorities and international
practices.

"The report underlines the need for a thorough analysis of
migratory processes within and outside of Armenia," says Stepan
Mnatsakanyan, who heads the Armenian National Statistical Service.
"This report will help us develop policies and programmes to ensure
migration contributes to poverty reduction, economic development
and regional integration."

As part of this initiative, an IOM workshop on data collection,
sharing and analysis for senior officials is currently taking place
in Yerevan.

"We hope that these developments will contribute to
Armenia’s National Plan of Action on migration," says IOM
Armenia Chief of Mission, Ms. Ilona Ter-Minasyan. "IOM will also
provide technical support for a nationwide survey of migration
flows to be carried out in 2012."

For further information, please contact:

Kristina Galstyan

IOM Armenia

Tel: +374 10 58 56 92, ext. 12

Email: "mailto:kgalstyan@iom.int">kgalstyan@iom.int