IOM to Host Online Press Conference on the Dangers & Risks of Irregular Migration

Flavio Di Giacomo and Shiraz Jerbi, from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Coordination Office for the Mediterranean will on Wednesday March 15 2017, host an online press conference on the dangers and risks of migrating with the assistance of smugglers, not only at sea or in the desert, but also in transit countries like Libya.

So far in 2017, 19,567 migrants arrived by sea to Italy and after the latest shipwreck this past weekend, 521 have died at sea – 50 more compared to the same period in 2016.

The majority of these migrants are from Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal and Gambia – same as in 2016.

Some of the migrants who make it to Europe and share their ordeal with IOM, reveal that their journey was far more dangerous than expected.

Recalling the life-threatening risks along their journey is often very distressing and in many instances, most migrants wish to forget and move forward with their lives and therefore tend not to share their experience with peers who are still back home.

The press conference will double as the launch of IOM’s Aware Migrants campaign, which aims to inform migrants from 15 countries – mostly in West Africa plus Tunisia and Egypt – about the dangers of migrating irregularly across the Sahara desert, Libya and the Mediterranean Sea.

The campaign is launched in the target countries of transit and origin in Africa with social media, TV and radio spots. 

Journalists interested in participating in this online press conference will be able to ask questions live via the internet.

Details of the event:

Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Time: 10AM (GMT)
Venue: Online
Language: English

The service is FREE and only requires a computer connected to the internet.

Click http://www.APO.af/IOMafrica to register.