Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners.

With 175 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.

The IOM Constitution recognizes the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement.

In 2021, IOM´s work on the mobility dimensions of crises reached 31.7 million persons (including internally displaced persons, refugees and migrants) and host community members. 

In addition to crisis and humanitarian response, IOM works in the four broad areas of migration management:

• Migration and development
• Facilitating migration
• Regulating migration
• Forced migration

IOM activities that cut across these areas include the promotion of international migration law, policy debate and guidance, protection of migrants’ rights, migration health and the gender dimension of migration.

The United Nations system is committed to supporting the implementation, follow-up and review of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). To this end, the United Nations established a Network on Migration to ensure effective, timely and coordinated system-wide support to Member States. IOM, through its Director General, serves as the coordinator of the UN Network on Migration.

IOM’s Regional Office for the EEA, the European Union and NATO supports policies, programmes and operations that pursue the well-being of migrants and societies through a rights-based approach to the governance of human mobility, to, from and within the region, which is coherent, holistic and balanced. The Regional Office acts as IOM’s liaison and coordination office to the European Union (EU) and NATO and other key Brussels-based stakeholders. We support our 28 IOM Country Offices in the region and IOM Offices worldwide on EU-related policy, programmes, legislation and cooperation and resource management.

IOM’s Office for Belgium and Luxembourg is also located in Brussels. The country office is responsible for developing and implementing several programmes and projects in close cooperation with the Belgian State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, Fedasil, the Belgian Immigration Office, the Belgian Development Cooperation, the European Commission, the Luxemburgish Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, and other partners such as the private sector and civil society.

IOM globally and in the region:

• Migration Management

  Oversee the development of policy guidance for the field; the formulation of regional and global strategies; standard-setting and quality control; and knowledge management relating to “mainstream” migration sectors, including labour and facilitated migration, migration and development, counter-trafficking, assisted voluntary return and reintegration, migration health, assistance for vulnerable migrants, immigration and border management, capacity-building in migration management, environmental migration and climate change.

• Crisis Response

  As the leading UN agency working on migration, we are committed to saving lives and helping populations move out of harm’s way. We protect and assist those displaced or stranded by crisis, and support populations and their communities to recover. We work to mitigate adverse drivers that force people from their homes, help build resilience and focus on reducing disaster risk so that movement and migration can be a choice. The Organization is among the world’s largest humanitarian actors and one of the few international organizations directly impacting programmes across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus to provide comprehensive responses at all phases of crises.

• International Cooperation and Partnerships

  The International Organization for Migration (IOM) supports and coordinates relations with its Member States, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and the media. It also provides guidance and support for relations with governmental, multilateral, and private sector donors.

• Data and Research

  IOM conducts and supports data production and research designed to guide and inform migration policy and practice. Research is designed to enhance IOM’s programme delivery and contribute to a broader understanding of migration patterns and processes, as well as the links between migration research and migration policy and practice.

Address:  Rue Montoyer 40, 1000 Brussels – Belgium
Telephone: +32 (0)2 287 7000
Web: IOM Regional Office EU Website & IOM Belgium and Luxembourg Website
Reach us at: [email protected] or [email protected]

• World Migration Report 2022
• IOM Annual Report 2022
• Harnessing Data Innovation for Migration Policy: A Handbook for Practitioners | IOM Publications Platform
• Institutional Strategy on Migration, Environment and Climate Change 2021–2030 | IOM Publications Platform
• Access to Digital identity for People on the Move in Europe
• A Gendered Analysis of Migration Trends in Europe’s Social Care Sector
• Recommendations for alternatives to detention and appropriate care arrangements in Europe
• Working with Migrant Children at the Borders of the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom: A Toolkit for Front-Line Workers
• Flyer: IOM Resources on Counter-Trafficking
• Flyer: IOM Resources on Labour Exploitation
• Mapping risks to migrant workers in supply chains in Europe
• Policy Brief on Promoting the Human and Labour Rights of Migrant Workers in Europe
• Skills Mobility Partnerships – Towards Sustainable Integration of Skills into Migration Governance
• Resettlement and Movement Management Division – Annual Report 2022

• #PeopleMove: Who is a Migrant? – YouTube
• Displaced Talent for Europe (DT4E) – YouTube
• Migration and the 2030 Agenda – YouTube

Partnerships

IOM engages with a wide range of strategic partners from different sectors. Partnerships are established in the areas of policy development, programme implementation, research and advocacy:

• EU institutions
• National Governments and national administrations
• UN Agencies
• Trade Unions
• Business sector
• Academia and think tanks
• NGOs
• Regional and international organisations
• Media

The European Union is a longstanding IOM partner both within the EU and in its external action.

Operationally, the cooperation between IOM and the EU was first formalised in a Framework Partnership Agreement for Humanitarian Aid Actions in 1994 and an EU-IOM Framework Agreement in 2011.

In July 2012, IOM and EU counterparts established a Strategic Cooperation Framework to foster dialogue and cooperation at the highest level on key policy issues, best practices as well as legislative and operational initiatives covering all aspects of migration, mobility and displacement.

Currently, this Framework includes the Directorates General for Migration and Home Affairs (HOME), International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO), Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR) and the European External Action Service (EEAS).

Support and Funding

IOM works closely with governments, migrants, affected populations and other partners to address today’s complex migration challenges and to find solution. To carry out these activities, IOM’s main financial resources come directly from various donors, including governments, intergovernmental bodies, civil society as well as the private sector.

Taken together, the EU and its Member States are the largest contributors to IOM’s budget.

Accountability and Governance

IOM’s main organs are the Council and the Administration.

The IOM Council

The IOM Council, on which each Member State has one representative and one vote, is the highest authority and determines IOM policies.

The Standing Committee on Programmes and Finance (SCPF) is a subcommittee of the Council. It is open to the entire membership and normally meets twice a year to examine and review policies, programmes and activities, to discuss administrative, financial and budgetary matters and to consider any matter specifically referred to it by the Council.

 The Administration

The Administration, which comprises a Director General, two Deputy Director Generals (a Deputy Director General for Operations and a Deputy Director General for Management and Reform) and such staff as the Council may determine, is responsible for administering and managing the Organization in accordance with the Constitution and the policies and decisions of the Council and the Standing Committee on Programmes and Finance. The Director General, who is the Organization’s highest executive official, is independently elected by the Council for a period of five (5) years.

For more information, please visit: Constitution and Basic Texts of IOM Governing Bodies