IOM Phase II Regional Migration and Development LA

This contribution concerns support to the second phase of IOM's project We Belong during the three-year period 2024-2026. The total budget amounts to 30 million SEK, Sida is the only donor, and the project is implemented by the Office of the Director Generals Special Envoy for the Regional Response to the Venezuela Situation (OCE) situated in Panama. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to sustainable migrant integration through a comprehensive intervention that focuses on Access to Employment; Entrepreneurship Support; and Capacity Strengthening of Local Authorities and Civil Society. The planned activities are organized around three main components: 1. Promote access to Employment: The project aims to facilitate migrants' access to formal and decent employment opportunities in sectors that have been identified as growing and that currently have high labour demands. Proposed sectors are so called green jobs, tourism, information and communication technology (ICT). Moreover, the project will contribute to more favourable policies for migrant employment, e.g. studies will be produced to highlight the importance of migrants in the development process, and these will be the basis for advocacy efforts and dissemination campaigns towards more inclusive labour policies in the region. 2. Entrepreneurship Support: The project will support micro, small and medium enterprises, owned and/or managed by migrants and/or members of the host communities, to expand and generate employment opportunities for both migrants and members of the host communities. More specifically, IOM will implement two key activities: a) IOM's Enterprise Development Fund, and b) Access to Regional Trade Fairs. 3. Capacity strengthening of local authorities and civil society: In order to strengthen participation and migration governance, the project will support governments in implementing recommendations stemming from IOM's Migration Government Indicators and local integration projects identified through participatory planning processes. This will be done in collaboration and/or partnership with the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Latin American Federation of Cities, Municipalities and Local Government Associations (FLACMA, by its Spanish acronym). In addition, capacity building activities will target civil society actors, by promoting dialogues and exchanges between Civil Society Organizations as well as providing in-kind support to strengthen their capacities to provide integration support to migrants. Lastly, IOM will ensure linkages between the proposed initiatives and the Quito Process, through continued general coordination support to the Pro-Tempore Presidency and the technical working groups, with emphasis to the Socio-economic Integration Working Group, ensuring the promotion of the Regional Socioeconomic Integration Strategy. Potential target countries are Aruba, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama. The geographical coverage will be finally determined based on integration priorities and local dynamics in Latin America and the Caribbean.