(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
GENEVA, 15th March, 2017 (WAM) -- The International Organisation for Migration, IOM, has announced the launch of a four-year, 18 million Euro project with funding from the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, DG DEVCO, to support returnees and host communities across Afghanistan.
The project will help foster sustainable reintegration by promoting economic development in communities of high return, building the capacity of government bodies working on migration and providing post-arrival assistance for returnees. Communities in Kabul, Herat, Nangarhar, Balkh, Kandahar, Baghlan, Uruzgan and Laghman will be targeted.
Speaking on the occasion, IOM's Chief of Mission and Special Envoy in Afghanistan, Laurence Hart, said, "Our joint collaboration under this project marks a critical and much needed step towards providing longer-term, sustainable, income-generating solutions and livelihoods for returnees."
Under the project, and working with a network of partners, IOM will complete a series of community development initiatives in areas of high return. The initiatives will include small-scale infrastructure and income-generating projects in a number of different sectors, including agricultural rehabilitation, irrigation and canal cleaning, rural development, handicrafts, and providing equipment and supplies for public institutions and commercial spaces, such as markets.
IOM will also support 1,000 technical and vocational education and training initiatives and skills development activities in the target project sites, and provide financial assistance to approximately 40 existing micro/small businesses.
The European Union has said that more Afghan asylum seekers are likely to be repatriated from European countries this year.
Statistics issued by the IOM indicate that up to one million refugees are expected to be returned to Afghanistan during this year from Europe as well as Iran and Pakistan, the two main hubs for Afghan refugees.
WAM/Esraa/Moran
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