IOM’s regional strategy for Southeastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia has been launched, along with another eight regional strategies that flow from the Organization’s overall Strategy 2019-2023. The comprehensive document draws on international instruments such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda), in particular, Target 10.7 to “facilitate orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies” and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The regional strategy focuses on addressing regional migration trends and challenges and is in line with global development priorities.

There are four main priorities:

• To empower migrants and communities to strengthen their resilience in situations of vulnerability;
• To address drivers of migration, including environmental and climate change impacts, instability, poverty and exploitation.
• To advance positive, sustainable and innovative development outcomes that are responsive to skill shortages, return dynamic, environmental and climate change impacts, and other emergent regional migration trends; and
• To strengthen cooperative development and implementation of evidence-based and inclusive migration governance that addresses migration challenges, leverages opportunities and facilitates safe, orderly and regular migration.

The Regional Strategy is based on the IOM Strategic Vision and related IOM governance documents. While it is intended for a five-year period (2020–2024), it is flexible and subject to periodic review, allowing for adjustments to new realities and emerging issues. IOM will stress complementary action and strive to implement this strategy in close cooperation and partnership with governments, donors, migrants, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders.

“We are committed to supporting governments and stakeholders in upholding migrants' rights, regardless of their migration status, across all stages of the migration cycle,” said Renate Held, Director of IOM’s Vienna Regional Office. “With this strategy, and in association with our many and diverse partners, we can respond to the needs and aspirations of migrants -be they internally displaced or international migrants, building societies fit for a modern, mobile and interconnected world.”

The document can be accessed here and also in Russian 

City of Dispatch: Vienna