UN agency opens migration response centre in Somalia

Mogadishu, April 22 (IANS) The International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN migration agency, has officially inaugurated the Migration Response Center (MRC) in Burao in Somaliland, a self-declared region of Somalia.

The IOM said the inauguration marks a significant milestone in expanding the provision of essential protection services and support to migrants on the move in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Prestage Murima, IOM Somalia deputy chief of mission, said the establishment of the Burao MRC is a testament to the ongoing commitment of the IOM and its partners to addressing the needs of vulnerable migrants.

"By strengthening protection mechanisms and providing lifesaving services, we aim to ensure that no migrant is left behind," Murima said in a statement issued in Burao.

The newly established MRC, which joins a growing network of centers in strategic migration corridors, will serve as a critical hub for protection services and voluntary return support for migrants in transit, as well as those stranded along migration routes.

According to the IOM, services provided at the center will include emergency shelter, medical assistance to vulnerable migrants, assisted voluntary return, mental health and psychosocial support, awareness raising, information sharing, and distribution of non-food items.

IOM Somalia's Migrant Protection and Assistance Program, which oversees the MRC network across Somaliland and the broader region, continues to work with government partners and donors to expand access to protection and assistance services for migrants.

--IANS

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