IOM Chief Visits Cyprus as EU Tackles Migration
The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, has concluded a visit to Cyprus this week, following a series of high-level meetings, including at the EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council, which focused on advancing a comprehensive migration and asylum agenda.
“Cyprus knows what it means to be on the frontline – and that experience really matters right now,” said DG Pope. “As the European Union moves from agreement to action, this is the moment to make sure policies really work – for migrants, for communities, and countries. IOM is ready to stand alongside the EU Presidency and Member States to help turn shared commitments into practical, humane solutions on the ground.”
DG Pope’s visit, her first to Cyprus in her current role, comes at a defining moment as Cyprus has assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the EU shifts from policy agreement to the implementation of the landmark EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
Highlighting the country’s critical frontline role, DG Pope reiterated IOM’s commitment to supporting the EU Presidency and all Member States in translating migration frameworks into effective action.
During her three-day visit, DG Pope met with government ministers and senior officials from Cyprus, Italy, Greece, Estonia, the European Commission, the EU Asylum Agency and Frontex to coordinate efforts that will shape the continent’s migration governance in the months ahead.
On Thursday, DG Pope participated in the first JHA Council being held under the auspices of the Cypriot Presidency. She also met with Dr. Nikolas Ioannides, the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection of Cyprus.
With persistent instability in Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, and the Sahel, along with climate-induced displacement and the transition of Ukrainian refugees from temporary protection, DG Pope reaffirmed IOM’s long-standing engagement with the EU and partner countries in ensuring that returns are humane, dignified, and embedded within broader human development efforts.
DG’s meetings also focused on the pressing need to address conditions along key migration routes. IOM highlighted its work to reduce irregularity and the drivers of dangerous journeys, undermine smuggling networks, meet humanitarian needs, and save lives. DG Pope also highlighted the need for robust migration data systems and evidence-based analysis to guide policy decisions.
Throughout the visit, DG Pope emphasized that IOM’s global presence, extensive field experience, and access to reliable data enable the Organization to help ensure that EU migration responses are grounded in evidence, international law, and humanitarian principles.
https://www.iom.int/news/iom-chief-cyprus-eu-presidency-puts-migration-action
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