ICMPD has opened a new Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I). The MRC promotes safe and regular migration processes for prospective migrants, combat trafficking and people-smuggling through raising awareness, pre-departure counselling for emigrants, post-arrival briefings to migrant workers, and re-integration support for returnees and internally displaced populations.
Funded by the Swedish Ministry of Justice and the Swedish Migration Agency through the Sweden-Iraq Cooperation on Migration Governance (SI-COM) project, the new MRC in Sulaymaniyah also aims to strengthen migration management capacities of public institutions, including labour migration pathways, return, and reintegration. It is located in the premises of the governorate branch of the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC), Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
This MRC in Sulaymaniyah is a significant step in strengthening the Kurdistan Region’s migration management efforts. Providing essential services, guidance, and reintegration support will ensure that migration is safe, informed, and beneficial for individuals and our communities. This underscores our commitment to protect our people, enhance institutional capacities, and foster sustainable development.said Mr Haval Abubakir, Governor of Sulaymaniyah, at the opening
The new MRC is an addition to the existing centres in Baghdad (opened in 2020) and Erbil (opened in 2024), which have collectively provided counselling services to over 11,000 people through in-person and online queries. They have also assisted 880 returnees with counselling, referrals, and skills development training; and over 25,000 individuals on safe migration and avoiding irregular migration. Since their opening, they have engaged more than 17.6 million people through social and mass media campaigns.
Access to credible information and fostering trust between MRCs, government, and communities has proven to be an effective strategy to combat the dangers of irregular migration, including human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and exploitation by fraudulent agents.Enrico Ragaglia, ICMPD Portfolio Manager for the Silk Routes region, says
In addition to the now three MRCs in Iraq, ICMPD also runs MRCs in Cumilla and Dhaka (Bangladesh), Osh (Kyrgyzstan), Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar (Pakistan), Batticaloa (Sri Lanka), and Dushanbe (Tajikistan); and a virtual MRC for Afghanistan. ICMPD will launch another MRC in Uzbekistan in 2025. Since their launch in 2016, the MRCs across the seven countries with their 60 staff including counsellors and coordinators have served around 150 million people.
Strengthening the skills and expertise of our personnel is essential for ensuring effective support for migrants and returnees, while fostering a more coordinated approach among government agencies and international partners.says Srwa Rasul, Director General of the Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) of the Ministry of Interior
Mr Haval Abubakir, Governor of Sulaymaniyah welcoming Mr Marcus Toremar, Department Director for the Swedish Migration Agency to the Sulaymaniyah Governorate, to the inauguration ceremony.