Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR): Global and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR): Global and European trends. AVRR in Malta

EMN Maltese NCP Seminar on Assisted Voluntary Return Management in the EU and Malta 12 December 2017 Laura Maciulskaite Officer-in-Charge a.i., Project Manager, AVRR IOM Malta

Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR)

Principles:

• Personal and informed decision
• Freedom of choice
• Absence of coercion
• Provision of up to date country of
• rigin information
• Orderly, humane, safe and dignified

return and reintegration of migrants who are unable or unwilling to remain in host or transit countries and wish to return voluntarily to their countries of

• rigin.
• Part of a comprehensive approach to

migration management, which includes timely asylum adjudication, effective removals of irregular migrants, regular immigration options and accurate public information on those options.

2017/12/12

Concept and definition

Impact on migrants:

• Takes into account migrant’s decision
• Allows for preparation to return
• Ensures respect for human rights
• Avoids stigma of forced return
• Provides counselling, logistical and

reintegration support

Impact on governments:

• Part of a comprehensive approach to migration management
• Cost-effective for host countries
• Politically palatable to host countries and countries of origin
• Promotes international dialogue and cooperation

AVRR: Impact

2017/12/12

• Evolution of AVRR: from return transportation arrangements to

comprehensive programmes that focus on sustainability of returns.

• IOM’s AVRR programmes over the years:
• 1.5 million migrants assisted since 1979
• + 512,000 migrants assisted over the last 10 years
• + 98,403 migrants assisted in 2016
• 55,577 migrants assisted with AVRR from 1 January to 30 September

2017 (72.88% of this number - from EEA and Switzerland).

• Preparatory process of the GCM: IOM is contributing thematic

expertise; 2 thematic papers focused specifically on AVRR published in 2017. AVRR worldwide

2017/12/12

• 43,755 migrants voluntarily returned from the EEA and Switzerland with

IOM’s support from 1 January to the end of October 2017.

• Top host countries: Germany, Greece, Belgium, Austria, The Netherlands.
• Top countries of origin: Albania, Iraq, Serbia, FYROM, Ukraine.
• Return recognized as a priority for the EU and EU MS and as a paramount

tool to respond to the current migration situation in Europe: EU Action Plan on Return (2015/09), Valletta Summit Action Plan (2015/11), Renewed Action Plan on Return and recommendations issued by the EC (2017/03/02).

• Linkages of AVRR with development objectives.

AVRR trends in the EU/EEA (2017)

2017/12/12

Malta – Migration features:

From 2002 to 2014, > 19,000 sea-borne asylum seekers and irregular migrants landed in Malta. Since 2014:

• decline in boat arrivals, however, increase in arrivals through other

channels (including air arrivals);

• no substantial changes in the number of asylum applications

submitted in Malta.

National context:

• Strong economy, with low unemployment and labour demand that

cannot be satisfied internally – pull factor for migrants.

• MHAS continuous support to the AVRR programme in Malta

implemented by IOM.

• AVRR as an individual choice for economic, social or family related

reasons and as part of strategy to address irregular migration.

• Changes in beneficiary trends throughout the years.

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• AVRR operations from Malta - since 2007.
• From 2009/01 to 2015/06, five consecutive RF-funded AVRR projects implemented in

Malta by IOM, in partnership with MHAS:

* 72 adults and 3 children assisted to return to their CoOs with their parents

• 6th consecutive phase of the AVRR project - RESTART VI, - funded by the EU under AMIF
• under implementation since July 2016.
• Strengthening cooperation in the field of AVRR: projects CoMAM, CoMAM II, ‘Enhanced

Cooperation’.

RESTART I: 2009  25 returnees assisted RESTART II: 2010 - 2011  65 returnees assisted RESTART III: 2012 - 2013  73 returnees assisted RESTART IV: 2013-2014  75* returnees assisted RESTART V: 2014-2015  33 returnees assisted

AVRR in Malta

2017/12/12

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01) )

• Objective: to further support

the efforts of the Government of Malta in making the possibility

• f AVRR available to TCNs

wishing to avail themselves of it, and to thereby contribute to the effectiveness of overall migration management.

• Implementation period:

2016/07/01 – 2019/06/30

• Budget: EUR 1,249,972.42
• Co-financing: AMIF (75%);

MHAS (25%)

• Project launch meeting; mid-term review and evaluation

meeting; regular exchanges with MHAS, the RA, relevant stakeholders.

• Information dissemination strategy, including:
• Production and dissemination of information

materials (booklets, leaflets, posters, cards).

• 12 quarterly focus groups with staff of closed and
• pen accommodation centres.
• Outreach in the community, incl. 36 monthly

information campaigns, 15 awareness-raising lunches in migrant-owned restaurants.

• AVRR counselling; provision of voluntary return and

reintegration assistance to up to 170 beneficiaries, among them – to up to 5 vulnerable persons.

• Monitoring of up to 170 reintegration cases.

Planned activities and expected results

2017/12/12

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Beneficiaries

• Changes in beneficiary trends
• ver the past few years.
• Greater emphasis on and

specific measures for vulnerable groups (UMCs, persons with medical needs, families/single parents returning with children).

• Those whose deportation

process has not yet started.

Third-country (non-EU) nationals who…

– have not yet received a final negative decision in relation to their request for international protection in Malta; – enjoy the right to stay, legal residence and/or international protection within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU, or temporary protection within the meaning of Directive 2001/55/EC in Malta; – are present in Malta and do not or no longer fulfil the conditions for entry and/or stay in Malta, including those TCNs whose removal has been postponed in accordance with Art. 9 and Art. 14(1) of Directive 2008/115/EC

… are eligible to apply for assistance under RESTART VI.

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Return / Transportation

• Outreach, return

information and counselling;

• Identification of special

needs;

• Assistance with obtaining

travel documents;

• Travel arrangements (flight

tickets; arrangements for transit & arrival assistance; arrangements for medical/operational escorts, if needed).

Pre- departure Post-return

• Pre-departure cash

allowance (EUR 200);

• Assistance at

embarkation;

• Transit assistance (incl.

escorts for vulnerable migrants);

• Temporary

accommodation &

• nward transportation to

family/community.

• Reception, information &

counselling (preparation for the reintegration phase);

• Socio-economic

reinsertion & reintegration assistance (EUR 3,800, in- kind);

• Monitoring and evaluation.

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

2017/12/12

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

• Project launch meeting; regular exchanges with MHAS, the RA, stakeholders.
• Information dissemination strategy developed; being implemented:
• Focus groups with staff of HTV and MOC; information session to the

Monitoring Board for Detained Persons organized.

• Leaders of migrant communities, governmental agencies, diplomatic

representations, IOs, and NGOs engaged in outreach.

• Focal points for AVRR in 5 open centres – HTV, HFO, MOC, DIL, Balzan –
• identified. Fixed schedule of ‘AVRR contact hours’ devised.
• Information sheet shared with RefCom (to be handed out with decisions

rejecting asylum applications).

• 2 awareness-raising lunches in migrant-owned restaurants organized.
• 5 information sessions for migrants organized.
• Focal point for medical cases appointed.
• Information materials – 700 leaflets and 120 posters (EN; FR; AR), 1,500

cards (EN; FR; AR; SO; AM) developed; dissemination ongoing.

• Over 300 persons participated in different information events and activities.

Activities implemented and results achieved to date

2017/12/12

• To date: 83 applicants for AVRR; 33 returnees assisted to return to 14 CoOs; out of them – 12

fully used their reintegration assistance.

• 4 AVRR applicants with medical conditions being assisted, in coordination with MHAS, focal

point for medical cases, relevant IOM Missions and departments, and health service providers in Malta and CoOs.

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Returnees

2017/12/12

Country of return

• No. of cases

Ghana 7 Mali 4 Nigeria 4 Sudan 3 India 2 Niger 2 Senegal 2 Ethiopia 2 Egypt 2 Pakistan 1 Chad 1 Georgia 1 Somaliland 1 Bangladesh 1 Total 33

• In-kind assistance complemented by limited cash assistance for immediate needs.
• Tailor-made assistance: small business set-up/development, employment,

vocational training, educational support, medical and other specific assistance.

• Absolute majority of AVRR returnees from Malta opt for small business set-up.

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Reintegration assistance (1)

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

2017/12/12

Reintegration activities

• No. of cases

Countries of return and reintegration Transportation business (taxi) 11 Nigeria (5); Ghana (2); Gambia (2; one of the returnees later shifted to silversmith business); Somaliland (1); Niger (1 – tricycle taxi) Farming/animal husbandry 4 Egypt (4) Clothes shop 2 Ghana (1 – second-hand clothes shop); Mali (1) Cattle shepherding 1 Guinea Bissau (1) Grocery shop 1 Bangladesh (1) Construction materials shop 1 Gambia (1) Selling of mopeds 1 Burkina Faso (1) Bakery business 1 Bangladesh (1) 22*

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Reintegration assistance (2)

Reintegration activities

• No. of cases

Countries of return and reintegration Transportation business (taxi) 3 Ethiopia (1); Ghana (1); Niger (1) Auto spare parts shop 2 Mali (2) Trading in mobile phones 2 Chad (1); Niger (1 - re-invested in trading in plastic) Goods/materials transportation business 1 India (1) Grocery shop 1 Nigeria (1) Construction and electrical materials shop (partnership) 1 Sudan (1) Purchase of power tools for use in private business 1 India (1) Partnership in running a private school 1 Pakistan (1) 12

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

2017/12/12

• Reintegration monitoring of 3 AVRR

cases completed: 1 returnee to India (purchase of power tools for use in private business), 1 returnee to Sudan (construction and electrical materials shop (partnership)) and 1 returnee to Niger (trading in plastic).

• In all cases, the businesses are
• perational, generate income for the

returnees to sustain themselves and their families, reintegration assistance has contributed to the sustainability

• f returns.

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Reintegration monitoring

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

2017/12/12

• Number of returnees assisted in the 1st year of implementation

– lower than initially planned.

• However, the implementation of RESTART VI has been a

success so far. The project has been:

• supporting the efforts of the GoM in making the possibility of

AVRR available to TCNs, thus contributing to the effectiveness of migration management.

• supporting AMIF’s objectives.
• applying best practices of the previous AVRR projects and further

strengthening the outreach component (focus on outreach in the community).

…

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Achievements (1)

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

2017/12/12

…

• addressing the needs of AVRR returnees from Malta, including identified

specific needs of vulnerable persons (medical cases, underage returnees returning to their CoOs with their families/single parents).

• contributing to the sustainability of returns. Focus on reintegration is expected

to have a positive impact on the receiving communities in CoOs, by addressing some of the root causes of migratory pressures.

• contributing to enhancing the capacities at the local level in Malta, countries
• f transit and CoOs to deal with all AVRR-related aspects.
• initiated monitoring of completed reintegration processes in CoOs, which will

allow to assess the sustainability of returns and to continue improving the AVRR process.

RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Achievements (2)

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

2017/12/12

• The need to adapt outreach strategies to changes in migratory trends.

 Response: greater emphasis on outreach in the community.

• ‘Time factor’: issuance of TDs for nationals of some CoOs; increasing number of

medical cases (coordination); applicants changing their minds/putting applications

• n hold.

 Response: strengthening cooperation with relevant stakeholders (diplomatic representations, medical professionals).

• Challenges during the reintegration phase, sometimes resulting in delays in

implementation.  Response: effective pre-departure counselling; follow-up with receiving IOM Missions; direct contact with returnees; negotiating with donor to find alternative solutions where administrative requirements cannot be (fully) met.

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RESTART VI (MT/2015/AMIF/1.01): Challenges

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows

• Recognition of the centrality of AVRR to effective migration

management for host countries, countries of transit and countries of

• rigin.
• Promotion of dialogue among relevant stakeholders, building

partnerships, to cooperatively implement effective AVRR programmes.

• AVRR programmes need to be continuously adapting to the changing

migration trends with a comprehensive approach, equally bearing in mind the priorities of countries and the needs of migrants.

• Reintegration assistance – key to sustainable AVRR, not only in terms
• f reinsertion of returnees but also in terms of benefits to local

receiving communities.

2017/12/12

Conclusions

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2014-2020) Project part-financed by the European Union Co-financing rate: 75% EU Funds; 25% Beneficiary Funds Sustainable Management of Migration Flows