Alexandria, 21 May 2019 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Save the Children International in Egypt hosted a community iftar for migrants in Alexandria and the North Coast. The iftar was attended by 150 participants from the Egyptian, Iraqi, Sudanese, South Sudanese, Syrian and Yemeni communities.

The event began with a Syrian Sufi band and presentations on the range of assistance services provided by both organizations to migrants in Alexandria and the North Coast, including the IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) Programme. IOM staff also shared information and resources on identifying, reporting and countering human trafficking in communities and discussed other issues brought forward by members of the community.

“IOM is proud to organize an iftar for members of the migrant communities and to share the enjoyment of the event during the holy month of Ramadan. An important part of IOM’s work with migrant and host communities is to capacitate them and build their role in identifying and responding to the needs of their members. This iftar event was held to celebrate Ramadan, to contribute to the cohesion between different migrant communities and to reinforce their role,” said Mr. Laurent De Boeck, IOM Chief of Mission to the Arab Republic of Egypt.

The event was held with the contributions of the European Commission and Italian Ministry of the Interior in the framework of the Regional Development and Protection Programme for North Africa (RDPP NA). This activity supports the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals. It is also in line with the objectives of Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS): Vision 2030, particularly its Social Justice Pillar, and the National Strategies for Combatting Illegal Migration and Trafficking in Persons.

For more information, please contact Omar Awwad at IOM Egypt, Tel: +20 1032 049 144 ; Email: oawwad@iom.int