Senior officials from various Iraqi ministries with migration functions meet to discuss how to improve coordination and migration mangement in Iraq

As a result of consultations between IOM and concerned Iraqi authorities, migration management has been identified as one of the areas of IOM's technical assistance to the Government of Iraq (GoI). In August 2004, based on its world-wide expertise in the field of technical cooperation on migration, and with financial support of the Government of Australia, IOM initiated a one-year inception phase programme for Capacity Building in Migration Management (CBMMP) for Iraq.

The programme aims to assist Iraqi authorities to further define and align inter-ministerial roles and responsibilities in the field of migration, assess needs, develop institutional relationships, coordinate international assistance and respond to immediate needs of concerned ministries. The programme will establish a strategy for a long term development of migration management in Iraq and facilitate integration of the Iraqi Government into regional and international migration policy forums and training initiatives.

When the CBMMP begun it held series of meetings and consultations with key stakeholders including senior officials from relevant Ministries and Prime Minister’s Office to facilitate the collecting and analyzing of data on the current status of migration management structures of Iraq. In October 2004, in order to more clearly define the migration functions of the various government ministries, the programme conducted a survey of ministries that have a role to play in migration including the Ministries of Displacement and Migration, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Labour and Social Affairs, Justice, Planning and Development Cooperation, Finance, Defense, Higher Education, and Health. Later, IOM brought together senior officials from these ministries in a workshop to identify gaps, weaknesses and strengths in the current distribution of migration functions in the country.

The initial phase of programme implementation made it apparent that the CBMMP should evolve to a comprehensive capacity building regimen. The analysis of the migration management situation in Iraq indicated that, overall, the migration sector of governance in Iraq lacks legislative and policy base. Weaknesses were found in the areas of administration and management of migration at operational level and there are gaps in the information base; the government has difficulties accurately documenting, enumerating, developing and managing migration processes in ways that best serve the national interests, and the interest and protection of migrants. Consequently, the Government of Australia agreed to further support the programme in order to enable Iraq to establish a modern and effective migration management system.

During 2005 up until the third quarter of 2006 the programme has engaged in a number of interventions with a focus on strengthening the inter-ministerial cooperation and coordination on migration matters, drafting a national migration policy, developing and implementing various training programmes for immigration officials, including overseas study tours and trainings. To ensure the sustainability of trainings, the programme started the train the trainers approach, specifically in the filed of immigration control and passengers processing at official border crossing points.

Early 2006 IOM assisted the Iraqi Ministry of Interior to establish a training centre for immigration officers. The centre is now fully equipped and functional. The center includes language and IT labs, a lecture hall and a library that will provide the MoI immigration officers with relevant resource materials. It is envisaged to also equip a lab for documents examination trainings. Thus far over 300 immigration officers from MoI Departments of Residence Affairs, Passport, Deportation and Directorate of Travel and Nationality have enrolled in various trainings sponsored by the programme. It includes also over 70 officers trained in documents examination.

To support the GoI to develop a national policy on migration, the programme facilitated the creation of an inter-ministerial informal policy task force (PTF). PTF members represent various Ministries national NGO sector and academicians with a stake in migration. The PTF has made a significant progress in drafting the first Iraqi national policy document concerning the migration challenges of Iraq. Once finalized, the draft policy document will be endorsed by the GoI and translated into concrete actions plan for the development of an effective migration management system in Iraq.

From January to June 2006 the Programme co-sponsored jointly with the Czech Government a three phase training programme for Iraqi migration officials and experts in the Czech Republic. Total 28 senior, midlevel migration officials and immigration officers had an opportunity to learn from the experience of their Czech colleagues in the fields of immigration control and passengers processing at official border crossing points, development of national immigration policy and preparing qualified immigration officers.

While continuing its inter-ministerial activities, the programme is increasingly focusing on development of an integrated border management system in Iraq. In September 2006, the programme started a comprehensive border management assessment at Baghdad International Airport and in one of the most crowded border crossing points of Iraq - Traibeel (a border crossing point between Iraq and Jordan). The assessment will result in more targeted follow-up projects.

Partners/Stakeholders
Iraqi Government Ministries,
UN Country Team, Particularly under Cluster C,
Government of Australia Government of Czech Republic
Other partners as may be identified during the course of the programme.