CoMAM I + II and Enhanced Cooperation between Malta and Migrants’ Countries of Origin: Lessons Learned and Sharing of Experience with Other European Countries

With the aim of increasing awareness of the challenges and potentials linked to Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) and enhancing the effectiveness of the AVRR process in all its dimensions, IOM Malta has also been implementing projects aimed at strengthening cooperation between relevant Maltese authorities and their counterparts in sub-Saharan African countries.

The two phases of the project 'Cooperation between Malta and African Countries to Enhance Migration Dialogue and Development' (CoMAM I and CoMAM II) was successfully completed between 2012 and 2014.

The project 'Enhanced Cooperation between Malta and Migrants’ Countries of Origin: Lessons Learned and Sharing of Experience with Other European Countries' was a continuation of the two successfully completed phases of CoMAM. The 'Enhanced Cooperation' project was under implementation from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015. The project was funded by the European Return Fund under AP 2013 and by the Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security of Malta. The project activities included bilateral meetings in Malta between Maltese authorities and their counterparts from identified countries of origin, a study visit to one selected EU country by representatives from the Maltese Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives from African countries of origin, the production of three Countries of Origin information sheets and a final international conference organized in Malta. Through these activities IOM’s objective was to facilitate dialogue between the Governments, which in turn, will have a beneficial influence on the diplomatic and technical links. Moreover, these meetings allowed for a forum to increase awareness of the challenges and possibilities linked to AVRR and of strengthening cooperation in the field of AVRR.