Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 6 March – Sweden has reaffirmed its support for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and its efforts to address migration issues across the African continent. 

Sweden’s State Secretary to the Minister for Migration, H.E. Anders Hall, undertook a four-day visit to Ethiopia during which he met with IOM's Regional Directors for East, Horn, and Southern Africa, Frantz Celestin, and for West and Central Africa, Sylvia Ekra, along with other senior IOM staff. 

The discussions focused on migration management in sub-Saharan Africa and ways to enhance efforts in addressing the root causes of irregular migration, improving migration governance, and strengthening humanitarian responses along key migration corridors. 

The Secretary witnessed firsthand the impact of IOM’s work at the Organization’s transit centre for vulnerable migrants in the capital, Addis Ababa.  The centre provides returning migrants with protection services, including accommodation, food, healthcare, and psychosocial support. Since 2020, more than 26,000 migrants have been assisted in the centre.  

 “Visiting the IOM Transit Centre and hearing firsthand the irregular migration challenges by migrants hosted here was invaluable. IOM’s ability to combine strong operational capacity on the ground with data-driven responses demonstrates the critical role the organization can play in managing and addressing migration challenges,” says H.E. Anders Hall, Sweden’s State Secretary for Migration 

Every year, thousands of irregular migrants return to Ethiopia and are in dire need of protection and assistance, including reintegration support to return to their communities of origin. During the visit, the State Secretary engaged directly with returning migrants supported by IOM at the centre.   

Sweden, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), is currently supporting the response to the humanitarian needs of tens of thousands of migrants along the Eastern Route. Sweden is also providing long-term sustainable solutions to address the key drivers of irregular migration and supporting the voluntary return and reintegration of vulnerable migrants. 

In 2024 alone, 405,000 vulnerable individuals in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia received such assistance, with Swedish funding playing a crucial role in sustaining and expanding this much-needed support.  

“IOM is thankful for Sweden’s support and the country is an important partner. Sweden enables IOM not only to provide lifesaving support and protection for migrants, address the root causes of irregular migration, but also bolster migration governance which is critical to finding long term and sustainable solutions to address the challenges of migration. Such partnerships and financial support are crucial to creating safer, regular, and well managed migration not just in this region, but across the continent,” says Frantz Celestin, IOM Regional Director, East, Horn and Southern Africa. 

During the visit, the Minister also discussed how IOM can extend this type of support to other regions in Africa. 

In West, Central, and North Africa, migrants traveling irregularly face significant challenges, including precarious living conditions, limited access to essential services, protection risks, and exposure to exploitation and abuse. Many endure hardships along migration routes, encountering dangers such as human trafficking, arbitrary detention, and violence. Limited access to regular migration pathways further exacerbates their vulnerabilities, leaving many with no choice but to rely on unsafe and irregular routes. 

IOM addresses these challenges through a comprehensive, route-based approach that provides life-saving humanitarian assistance, protection services, voluntary return, and sustainable reintegration. This approach ensures that interventions are tailored to the specific needs and risks encountered along different migration corridors.  

“Migration routes across Africa, including the Central Mediterranean, Western Mediterranean, and West Africa Atlantic corridors, are increasingly complex and fraught with risks for migrants. Coordinated migration governance is more crucial than ever to address these challenges. We deeply appreciate Sweden’s commitment and welcome continued support to expand protection, create safer migration pathways, and strengthen sustainable reintegration efforts that uphold the dignity and rights of migrants,” says Sylvia Ekra, IOM Regional Director for West 

Migrant Response Plans are  key in enabling IOM to deliver on its Strategic Objectives using a route-based approach. IOM acknowledges Sweden’s generous contributions of SEK 60,000,000 towards a program that is aligned to the route-based Regional Migrants Response Plan (MRP) coordinated by IOM and flexibility in addressing emerging issues in the region.  

Continued support from Sweden and other donors is needed. Recently launched 2025 Migrant Response Plan appealed for US $ 81 to support 1 million people in need along the Eastern and Southern migratory routes.  

For more information, please contact:  

• In Ethiopia: Aïssatou Sy ; aisy@iom.int  

• At the Regional Office for East, Horn and Southern Africa: ronairobimcu@iom.int or call +254 797735977