Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Edmondo Cirielli yesterday inaugurated the high-level bilateral dialogue between Italy and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) at the Farnesina, alongside IOM Director General Amy Pope, in the presence of an IOM delegation and representatives from the Ministries of the Interior and Labour and Social Policies.
During the opening session, the well-established collaboration between Italy and the IOM was reaffirmed, and prospects for future joint actions were discussed. Over the past two years, the Italian Foreign Ministry has mobilised financial resources through the IOM amounting to approximately €68.5 million in voluntary contributions, including Development Cooperation funds and instruments such as the Migration Fund and the Reward Fund, in addition to €5 million in mandatory contributions.
The Deputy Minister highlighted that irregular migration flows are a global phenomenon that particularly affects Italy, which serves as the main entry point to Europe along the Central Mediterranean route. “Italy’s migration policy is based on cooperation with countries of origin and transit, aiming to combat human trafficking, address the root causes of migration, promote legal alternatives to irregular migration, and facilitate assisted voluntary returns”, stated Cirielli. He emphasised that Italy will continue to regard the IOM as a key partner in its migration policy and will explore opportunities within this collaboration to play a leading role in managing migration flows, particularly through innovative measures at both national and European levels.
