Latest news with #IOM
Scoop
24 minutes ago
- Business
- Scoop
INTERVIEW: Migration Must Be Central To Development Agenda, Says IOM Chief
'If we want to end irregular migration, development solutions are at the heart of it,' she told UN News on the sidelines of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, underway in Sevilla, Spain. Ms. Pope emphasised that migration can be a driver of growth, especially through remittances and return migration. 'Our goal is to make governments think, talk, and act on migration as a tool for development,' she said. Read on to learn how migration is shaping the development agenda – and what IOM wants governments to do about it. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. UN News: What is IOM doing at this conference, which is about financing for sustainable development? Amy Pope: There are two angles for us at a conference like this. First, we are seeing more people on the move due to development-related challenges. Of course, some flee war, conflict or persecution, but increasingly people are migrating because of climate impacts, poverty, or a lack of opportunities. If we want to reduce irregular migration, development solutions are essential. Second, migration can be a powerful driver – a catalyst – for development. It benefits the migrant, who gains access to income and opportunities – but it also boosts development in both the countries they come from and the ones they go to. The World Bank has done incredible research showing this. UN News: What do migrants themselves need from this conference – something practical that can improve lives without adding to host countries' burdens? Ms. Pope: There are a couple of places where I think there could be real improvements. First, we know remittances drive development in low- and middle-income countries – over $700 billion annually. Lowering transaction fees would ensure more of that money reaches families and communities, and working with local governments can help channel it into broader development goals. Another area is return migration. When people return home after working abroad, they often bring skills, languages, and new knowledge. Ensuring this transfer benefits their communities is critical. Another area is return migration – when people return home after working abroad, they often bring skills, languages, and new knowledge UN News: Syria seems like a good example of that. Ms. Pope: Absolutely. In Syria, many highly educated, highly skilled individuals left during the conflict. Their return will be crucial to rebuilding the country – in fields like construction, manufacturing, medicine, and education. So 'marrying' the development and recovery objectives with the return objectives is essential for success. UN News: You mentioned that remittances are a huge benefit – migrants may send money back, but they also need support. How do you convince sceptical countries that say they can't afford the costs? Ms. Pope: Migration enables communities to do more – we see that globally. What we encourage governments to do is to create policies that enable and facilitate safe and legal migration Irregular migration leads to exploitation and underpayment – which also depresses wages for national workers. It ultimately leads to a host of bills that no country can afford right now. So ultimately, this is not a question of what countries can afford, it should be what countries can do to improve outcomes for their own people UN News: What concrete steps is IOM hoping to see from this conference? Ms. Pope: First and foremost, we want migration to be part of the development conversation – not just seen as a humanitarian emergency. If someone is on a boat crossing the Mediterranean, heavily in debt to smugglers and unsure if they'll survive the journey, we've completely failed. Our goal is to make sure that we have governments thinking, talking, acting and using migration as a tool for development from the very beginning. Lowering remittance fees is one step. Diaspora bonds are another way to engage migrant communities in development financing. And we need to anticipate climate impacts so that people aren't forced to move in desperation. UN News: So finally, the migration issue in the United States is very thorny, it's very political. What would you be saying to the US if they were here this week, which of course they are not. Investing in development that is focusing on communities who are most likely to out-migrate is a much better investment than just investing at your border Ms. Pope: I would say that investing in development that is focusing on communities who are most likely to out-migrate is a much better investment than just investing at your border. Once somebody has paid a smuggler, come all the way up, gotten into the border, across the border and into the United States, it is far more expensive, far more labour-intensive, far more traumatic for the communities they've lived in and the migrant, him or herself. Then it would be to come up with solutions where migrants are coming from or in the countries that they first go to. This is good value for money. It's not just about better development outcomes.
Gulf Today
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Nearly 700,000 Afghans driven out of Iran return to uncertain future
Hajjar Shademani's family waited for hours in the heat and dust after crossing the border into Afghanistan, their neat pile of suitcases all that remained of a lifetime in Iran after being deported to their homeland. The 19-year-old and her three siblings are among tens of thousands of Afghans who have crossed the Islam Qala border point in recent days, the majority forced to leave, according to the United Nations and Taliban authorities. Despite being born in Iran after her parents fled war 40 years ago, Shademani said the country "never accepted us". When police came to her family's home in Shiraz city and ordered them to leave, they had no choice. But Afghanistan is also alien to her. "We don't have anything here," she told the media in English. Between Iranian universities that would not accept her and the Taliban government, which has banned education for women, Shademani's studies are indefinitely on hold. "I really love studying... I wanted to continue but in Afghanistan, I think I cannot." At Herat province's Islam Qala crossing, the checkpoint is usually busy handling everything from smuggling to deportation as young men seek work in Iran. But since Tehran ordered Afghans without the right to remain to leave by July 6, the number of returnees -- especially families -- has surged. More than 230,000 departed in June alone, the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) said. Since January, more than 690,000 Afghans have left Iran, "70 percent of whom were forcibly sent back", IOM spokesperson Avand Azeez Agha told AFP. Of the more than a dozen returnees AFP spoke to, none said they had fled the recent Iran-Israel conflict, though it may have ramped up pressure. Arrests, however, had helped spur their departures. Few prospects Yadullah Alizada had only the clothes on his back and a cracked phone to call his family when he stepped off one of the many buses unloading people at the IOM-run reception centre. The 37-year-old said he was arrested while working as a day labourer and held at a detention camp before being deported to Afghanistan. Forced to leave without his family or belongings, he slept on a bit of cardboard at the border, determined to stay until his family could join him. "My three kids are back there, they're all sick right now, and they don't know how to get here." An Afghan refugee woman combs the hair of a girl after arriving at the zero point of the Islam Qala border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran. File/AFP He hopes to find work in his home province of Daikundi, but in a country wracked by entrenched poverty and unemployment, he faces an uphill climb. The UN mission for Afghanistan, UNAMA, has warned that the influx of deportees -- many arriving with "no assets, limited access to services, and no job prospects" -- risks further destabilising the crisis-wracked country. Long lines snaked into tents encircling the reception centre where returnees accessed UN, NGO and government services. Gusty wind whipped women's Iranian-style hijabs and young men's trendy outfits, clothing that stood out against the shalwar kameez that has become ubiquitous in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power in 2021, imposing their strict interpretation of Islamic law. Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi inspected the site on Saturday, striding through the crowd surrounded by a heavily armed entourage and pledging to ensure "that no Afghan citizen is denied their rights in Iran" and that seized or abandoned assets would be returned. Taliban authorities have consistently called for "dignified" treatment of the migrants and refugees hosted in Iran and Pakistan, the latter having also ousted hundreds of thousands of Afghans since the latest decades-long war ended. 'Have nothing' Over one million Afghans have already returned to Afghanistan this year from both neighbouring countries. The numbers are only expected to rise, even as foreign aid is slashed and the Taliban government struggles for cash and international recognition. The IOM said it can only serve a fraction of the returnees, with four million Afghans potentially impacted by Iran's deadline. Some of the most vulnerable pass through the agency's transit centre in Herat city, where they can get a hot meal, a night's rest and assistance on their way. But at the clean and shaded compound, Bahara Rashidi was still worried about what would become of her and her eight sisters back in Afghanistan. They had smuggled themselves into Iran to make a living after their father died. "There is no man in our family who can work here, and we don't have a home or money," the 19-year-old told the media. "We have nothing." Agence France-Presse
Metro
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Metro
Almost 20,000 asylum seekers in 6 months proves a crucial point
It will have surprised no one – but provoked a great deal of performative shock among politicians and commentators – that the number of people crossing to the UK in a small boat this year is significantly higher than previous years. Almost 20,000 people risked their lives to make the journey in the first half of 2025. That's a 48% increase from the same period last year and 75% higher (amounting to 11,433 people) than in 2023. The country, in so many ways so divided, is united in one thing: we do not want people arriving in dangerous circumstances like this. And we share an immense frustration with the succession of politicians who have claimed to make it their mission to prevent crossings – and failed. It is clear that government enforcement policies in this area are having next to no impact on numbers. It is to a far greater degree the weather and crossing conditions in the Channel that have real sway on how many people make the attempt, week in, week out. But the policing operations on French shores and escalating tactics, like the use of tear gas, have made the journey more treacherous. This is on top of the fact that more and more people are dying in the attempt. Governments seem addicted to these deterrence measures, despite evidence of failure. The UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM) found there was 'no discernible effect' on migration aspirations after asylum seekers were exposed to deterrence messages. Providing people with safe alternative ways to make the journey has not been on the table for years – outside of a small handful of specific concessions. But Keir Starmer says he regrets the divisive 'island of strangers' language he used in a recent speech about immigration, which he could prove by making a break from the failed politics of hostility to asylum seekers, if we hold him to his word. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video People crossing on small boats have already endured violence, lost homes, and seen despair and death along the way. They are resilient and determined to live: migration is a long-term strategy, both for their own survival, and for a future for their children. The UK will always be one of the countries where people seek safety and opportunity, and with our ageing population and labour market needs, we have every reason to make the best of that. Despite the latest big scary number, this is not a new phenomenon: it's as old as humanity itself. Politicians trying to act tough are not the first in their place either. Over decades we have systematically eroded the rights of people coming to our shores as refugees. It has never prevented them from coming, but it has caused other problems. One of these problems has been the subject of concern in recent weeks, with another moral panic stirred up over asylum seekers working. Thanks to that history of politicians slashing their rights in the hopes of making them disappear, migrants do not normally have the right to work legally while their case is being heard. This process takes on average between one and three years. During this time, whatever their background, skills, or motivation, they're barred from entering the formal labour market. And so, many of them find work to support themselves in the informal economy, often in highly exploitative circumstances. The political focus is on male gig economy workers, but there is evidence that the work ban also forces women asylum seekers into sex work. Two insane cycles need to be broken. Continuing to deny all safe means of travel for asylum seekers to reach the UK risks them taking irregular small boat crossings. And denying access to safe work for asylum seekers risks them working in the grey economy, subject to exploitation, low pay, and criminalisation. We have heard rumours that the Government may be ready to finally try something different on one of these problems. With a deal with France to be announced next week, there's a possibility that we will see the start of some pragmatism to break this cycle of insanity. In a small shift towards pre-Brexit models of cooperation, the UK may accept to offer safe ways for some asylum seekers to come here from France, and France will accept to receive returned asylum seekers in exchange. More Trending This is an indication that pressure on the Government is working and we must keep it up, because real solutions are not as politically distant as they may seem. However, we should remember that before Brexit a very limited responsibility sharing system was in place, which didn't fully solve the issue of irregular crossings. Safe pathways to travel must be accessible enough to give a real option to people who will otherwise take desperate means, and not be accompanied by even more failed policing operations. Once here, the cycle of exploitation and demonisation will continue if we keep asylum seekers out of legal work and hounded by immigration police. Instead of helping them to find their feet, work in the areas we need them, and start building that future that they have risked everything to have. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: Rachel Reeves wipes tears from her cheeks at PMQs after Welfare bill U-turn MORE: 'UK taxpayers will pay price': How people are reacting to the Welfare Bill vote MORE: The stress caused by welfare reform flip-flopping left me feeling sick
Rudaw Net
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
7 Kurds held in Libya after failed attempt to reach Europe
Also in World US presses urgent restart of Kurdish oil exports, slams stalemate as 'unacceptable' Trump moves to lift broad sanctions on Syria: White House spox. Three Gorges Dam powers China's growth amid displacement, environmental concerns Kurdish activist honored for anti-racism work in Europe A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Libyan authorities have been holding seven Kurds from the Kurdistan Region for two months after they unsuccessfully attempted to reach Europe through the African country, a Kurdish lawmaker in Baghdad told Rudaw on Wednesday. 'I will visit those youths today. We will provide them with everything they need and take the necessary steps to resolve their situation and repatriate them in the coming days,' Muthana Amin, a member of the Iraqi parliament's Foreign Relations Committee, quoted Iraq's ambassador to Libya, Ahmad al-Sahaf, as saying. Six of the detainees are from Kurdistan Region's eastern Raparin administration, and the other is from Erbil province. Karwan Majid, the brother of one of the detainees, Daban Majid, told Rudaw that the group left Erbil International Airport on April 23, flying to Egypt and then Libya 'in order to migrate to Europe from there.' He added that 'they went missing' the following day, and later Daban contacted the family, saying they had been arrested in Libya. In late March, another group of seven Kurds - who were also detained - were repatriated from Libya after being detained while trying to reach Europe. Libya remains a major transit country for migrants due to its strategic location and proximity to Italy. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that around 719,000 migrants were registered in Libya in 2024. Crossing the Mediterranean is one of the deadliest migrant routes. According to the IOM, more than 31,700 people have died or gone missing at sea since 2014. Thousands of Kurds attempt the perilous journey to Europe each year, with many passing through Libya. Nahro Mohammed contributed to this report.
Gulf Today
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Afghans driven out of Iran return to uncertain future
Susannah Walden and Qubad Wali Hajjar Shademani's family waited for hours in the heat and dust after crossing the border into Afghanistan, their neat pile of suitcases all that remained of a lifetime in Iran after being deported to their homeland. The 19-year-old and her three siblings are among tens of thousands of Afghans who have crossed the Islam Qala border point in recent days, the majority forced to leave, according to the United Nations and Taliban authorities. Despite being born in Iran after her parents fled war 40 years ago, Shademani said the country 'never accepted us'. When police came to her family's home in Shiraz city and ordered them to leave, they had no choice. But Afghanistan is also alien to her. 'We don't have anything here,' she told AFP in English. Between Iranian universities that would not accept her and the Taliban government, which has banned education for women, Shademani's studies are indefinitely on hold. 'I really love studying... I wanted to continue but in Afghanistan, I think I cannot.' At Herat province's Islam Qala crossing, the checkpoint is usually busy handling the cycle of smuggling to deportation as young men seek work in Iran. But since Tehran ordered Afghans without the right to remain to leave by July 6, the number of returnees — especially families — has surged. More than 230,000 departed in June alone, the United Nations International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said. Since January, more than 690,000 Afghans have left Iran, '70 per cent of whom were forcibly sent back,' IOM spokesperson Avand Azeez Agha told AFP. Of the more than a dozen returnees AFP spoke to on Saturday, none said they had fled the recent Iran-Israel conflict, though it may have ramped up pressure. Arrests, however, had helped spur their departures. Yadullah Alizada had only the clothes on his back and a cracked phone to call his family when he stepped off one of the many buses unloading people at the IOM-run reception centre. The 37-year-old said he was arrested while working as a day labourer and held at a detention camp before being deported to Afghanistan. Forced to leave without his family or belongings, he slept on a bit of cardboard at the border, determined to stay until his family could join him. 'My three kids are back there, they're all sick right now, and they don't know how to get here.' He hopes to find work in his home province of Daikundi, but in a country wracked by entrenched poverty and unemployment, he faces an uphill climb. The UN mission for Afghanistan, UNAMA, has warned that the influx of deportees — many arriving with 'no assets, limited access to services, and no job prospects' — risks further destabilising the crisis-wracked country. Long lines snaked into tents encircling the reception centre where returnees accessed UN, NGO and government services. Gusty wind whipped women's Iranian-style hijabs and young men's trendy outfits, clothing that stood out against the shalwar kameez that has become ubiquitous in Afghanistan since the Taliban swept to power in 2021, imposing their strict interpretation of Islamic law. Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi inspected the site on Saturday, striding through the crowd surrounded by a heavily armed entourage and pledging to ensure 'that no Afghan citizen is denied their rights in Iran' and that seized or abandoned assets would be returned. Taliban authorities have consistently called for 'dignified' treatment of the migrants and refugees hosted in Iran and Pakistan, the latter having also ousted hundreds of thousands of Afghans since the latest decades-long war ended. Over one million Afghans have already returned to Afghanistan this year from both neighbouring countries. The numbers are only expected to rise, even as foreign aid is slashed and the Taliban government struggles for cash and international recognition. But at the clean and shaded compound, Bahara Rashidi was still worried about what would become of her and her eight sisters back in Afghanistan. They had smuggled themselves into Iran to make a living after their father died. 'There is no man in our family who can work here, and we don't have a home or money,' the 19-year-old told the media. Agence France-Presse
