The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, has launched its first global annual appeal, seeking nearly $8 billion for the year 2024 to address the escalating challenges posed by population displacement worldwide.
IOM, which became a UN agency in 2016, is requesting a total of $7.9 billion for 2024 to address the pressing needs of migrants, save lives, protect those on the move, find solutions to displacement, and facilitate safe pathways for regular migration.
“Irregular and forced migration have reached unprecedented levels, and the challenges we face are increasingly complex,” stated IOM Chief Amy Pope in a press release. Pope, who assumed the role in October, emphasized the importance of well-managed migration as a significant contributor to global prosperity and progress.
At a critical juncture, IOM aims to utilize the appeal to fulfill its commitment to managing migration effectively and improving outcomes for migrants and the societies they join. The organization stresses the urgency to do better in addressing the complexities of migration.
IOM, founded over 70 years ago, focuses on emergency response, advocacy for migrants’ rights, and promoting humane and orderly migration as a benefit to individuals on the move and the host societies.
The $7.9 billion appeal, if fully funded, will enable IOM to serve nearly 140 million people, including internally displaced individuals and their host communities. It will also support the expansion of IOM’s development work aimed at preventing further displacement.
Breaking down the appeal, $3.4 billion is allocated for saving lives and protecting those on the move, $2.7 billion for working on solutions to displacement, including addressing climate change risks, and the remaining funds for facilitating regular migration pathways and enhancing IOM’s service delivery effectiveness.
The IOM’s Missing Migrants Project highlights that over the past nine years, more than 60,000 people have died or disappeared during perilous migration journeys.
The appeal emphasizes the consequences of underfunded and piecemeal assistance, which can lead to increased dangers for migrants through irregular migration, trafficking, and smuggling. IOM calls for proper funding to take a more long-term, preventative approach, streamlining operations, optimizing responses, and effectively reducing the costs associated with crisis management. Additionally, it urges countries to recognize the benefits of well-managed migration.