Launched in December 2016 with the support of the EUTF for Africa, the EU-IOM Joint Initiative is the first comprehensive programme bringing together African countries, IOM and the EU around the shared aim of ensuring that migration is safer, more informed and better governed for both migrants and their communities. 

Migrants may face significant risk and protection issues in transit or host countries. The EU-IOM Joint Initiative aims to save lives and improve assistance for migrants along migration routes. It allows migrants who decide to return to their countries of origin to do so in a safe and dignified way, in full respect of their rights. It provides reintegration support to enable returning migrants to restart their lives in their countries and communities of origin through an integrated approach, including individual assistance, community-based support and structural interventions. 

As a returnee’s ability to successfully reintegrate is influenced by the political, institutional, environmental, economic and social conditions in his/her country of origin, the EU-IOM Joint Initiative contributes to reinforcing systems and enhancing migration governance, in complementarity with local development.

Pillars of Action 

1. CAPACITY BUILDING
   Promote good migration governance by strengthening capacities of local state and non-state actors in the countries where we work.
2. PROTECTION AND VOLUNTARY RETURN ASSISTANCE*
   Ensure that migrants enjoy rights and access to services, provide direct support and facilitate the voluntary return of migrants.
3. REINTEGRATION SUPPORT
   Address returnees’ economic, social and psychosocial needs, foster the inclusion of communities of return and strengthen systems for reintegration support. 

*In Libya, only Pillars 2 and 3 apply. While there is no reintegration assistance in Libya (as there is no return assistance to Libya), migrants returning from Libya to countries where there is no EU-funded reintegration assistance programme are eligible to receive a reintegration assistance package from the project.