Rabat – Merethe Nergaard, the ambassador of Norway to Morocco, and Ana Fonseca, the head of mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Morocco, signed an agreement for Norway to provide a grant of about €400,000 to IOM.
The grant will go to the RAISE program (Voluntary Return and Reintegration for Stranded Migrants in Morocco), a voluntary return and reintegration project for migrants in distress in Morocco.
“We are pleased to continue our support to RAISE, contributing to IOM and Morocco’s efforts to assist stranded migrants who wish to return to their home country,” said Marianne Hagen, state secretary at Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Hagen headed the Norwegian delegation to the conference on the Global Compact on Migration.
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Since 2005, IOM Morocco has assisted in the voluntary return of more than 6,800 people to 36 countries. More than 1.3 million migrants have received assistance since 1979. The organization seeks to provide a dignified return for distressed migrants through administrative, logistical, and financial support.
On December 14, the European Commission announced it will pledge €148 million to financially assist Morocco with migration issues.
