On 11 February 2025, a two-day training on Irregular Migration, Migrant Smuggling, and Human Trafficking was successfully conducted in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, implemented under the NORAQ cooperation framework. This capacity-building initiative was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in the scope of projects “Migration Awareness, Access to Reintegration, and Strengthening Capacities in Iraq (MAARC)” and “Sweden-Iraq Cooperation on Migration Governance (SICOM)”.
The training brought together over 25 representatives from key governmental institutions, including the Ministry of Interior, the Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC) and its governorate offices in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MoLSA), the Ministry of Planning (MoP), the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), and the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) staff.
The sessions were delivered by Mr. Dara Faruq, Director of Combating Organised Crime, and Mr. Sardar Fazil, Director of the Erbil Combating Organised Crime Office, Ministry of Interior. Their expertise provided participants with valuable insights into addressing migration-related challenges, strengthening institutional response mechanisms, and enhancing cooperation among stakeholders.
This training underscores the ongoing commitment to enhancing migration governance and countering human trafficking and migrant smuggling through capacity building and inter-agency collaboration.
Group photo with the trainers and attendees of the programme.