Tirana – A meeting between IOM and the Belgian Government delegation took place on 18 October 2021, during the visit to Albania of Mr. Mahdi Sammy, the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration of the Kingdom of Belgium. Part of the delegation was also Mr. Meurice Frédéric, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Albania and other officials with key functions on migration and policy making visited IOM Albania office.

During the meeting with Ms. Alma Jani, the Head of Office, and IOM Albania staff, discussions focused on the current situation of migration in Albania, the support and collaboration on migration and governance, the IOM Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) as well as the current cooperation with SPF Interieur Belgium and the upcoming awareness raising initiatives in Albania, in cooperation with IOM Belgium.

Mr. Mahdi Sammy highlighted the significance of the project to inform the young people on the importance of regular migration and available opportunities. In addition, he stated that international partners like IOM are critical on this partnership to prevent irregular migration for the benefit of migrants and countries. While, Ms. Jani noted that IOM Albania is upscaling its work on information campaigns by using innovative approaches and tools to reach the actual and potential migrants. The cooperation between the Belgian Government and IOM Albania has been remarkable throughout the years in support of migration projects, specifically focusing on awareness raising initiatives.