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Türkiye
Straddling Europe and Asia, Türkiye has historically been a country of origin, transit and destination for migrants. Recent regional conflicts and crises have contributed to Türkiye increasingly becoming both a major destination and transit country for those fleeing conflict, poverty, and disasters.
The start of the Syria Crisis in 2012 and in 2015 Mediterranean Crisis contributed to a significant number of migrants and refugees traveling to/through and from Türkiye. In the last fifteen years, regular migration flows increased more than three-fold, from just under 11 million regular border crossings registered in 2000, to more than 49.4 million in 2016. Since the start of the Syria Crisis, irregular arrivals to Greece from Türkiye increased significantly, from 34,000 in 2012 and peaking in 2015 to nearly 850,000. In 2016, irregular crossings to Greece dropped once again following the April 2016 implementation of the EU-Türkiye deal but remained significant with 173,000 new arrivals reported in 2016.
The number of migrants choosing Türkiye as a destination country has also increased significantly in recent years. Over 3.5 million migrants and refugees were living in Türkiye in March 2017. The vast majority (over 3.1 million) are people seeking international protection. Over 2.85 million Syrians have registered for temporary protection in Türkiye. Approximately another half million migrants have come to study, work or other reasons including family reunification.
The number and the diversity of the migrants and refugees have increased Türkiye’s challenges for effective migration management strategies, humanitarian assistance and migrant protection. In Türkiye, governments, international organizations, and humanitarian organizations are working together to develop comprehensive policies and actions to sustainably manage migration.
As the UN Migration Agency, IOM provides support and assistance to the Turkish Government for an effective, comprehensive and human-rights based migration management system.
IOM opened its first offices in Türkiye in 1991, following the aftermath of the first Gulf War. The Mission’s activities began with resettlement for Iraqi refugees, and were later expanded to migration management programmes. IOM’s partnership with the Republic of Türkiye was formalized in November 2004 when Türkiye was granted member status to IOM. The partnership between IOM and Türkiye continued since then, including support drafting the Law of Foreigners and International Protection, as well as establishing the Ministry of Interior’s Directorate General for Migration Management in 2013.
Following the devastating earthquake in Van in 2011, IOM Türkiye began our emergency response programmes which have since expanded in response to ongoing regional conflicts and crises, notably the 2012 Syrian Crisis and the 2015 Mediterranean Crisis.
With over 25 years operational experience in Türkiye, the Mission is now one of the largest globally with nearly 350 staff in 15 different locations across the country, with the main office in Ankara, and sub-offices in Istanbul and Gaziantep.
Contact Us
Birlik Mahallesi
Şehit Kurbani Akboğa Sokak No:24
Ankara, Türkiye
Sub-Office Istanbul
Barbaros Bulvarı Orhan Birman İş Merkezi
Kat:2 No:149 Balmumcu / Beşiktaş
Sub-Office Gaziantep
Güvenevler Mahallesi
29069 Sokak No:15 Tugay ŞehitKamil
Fax: +90 312 496 1495
Tel: +90 312 454 3000