Technical Cooperation on Migration

The IOM’s program for Technical Cooperation on Migration (TCM) is designed to provide governments with access to information concerning the necessary or desirable legislation, administrative structures, operational systems and human resource base needed to address diverse and multidimensional migration problems and challenges. TCM programs also provide governments with ways and means of testing new approaches to address particular migration challenges in creative ways. IOM technical cooperation activities are generally constructed as partnerships in accordance with which IOM, the concerned government and other civil society parties work closely together to define needs, determine priorities and shape interventions.

IOM Turkey acts as a catalyst for the interaction of all relevant Turkish institutions to come together and work for substantive results for the successful conduct and advancement of migration and border management. The objective is to promote and advance the implementation of the National Action Plan on Migration and Asylum (NAP).  IOM Turkey’s priorities are: (1) to contribute to curbing irregular and illegal migration; and (2) to better manage regular and legal migration through instituting and sustaining international standards of good practices and awareness-raising activities.

IOM has implemented TCM projects funded by different state members, including the United Kingdom, Australia and the European Commission. These projects aim to: enhance the performance of field staff; to maximize sharing of information and knowledge regarding best practices; and to strengthen and enhance cooperation between national line institutions on migration management.

IOM Turkey implemented projects have focused on staff training for Turkish agencies working on migration and border management.  These initiatives have been aimed at enhancing information-sharing and decision-making abilities within these agencies by developing a professional understanding of and appreciation for the multifaceted aspects of migration management.

For instance, IOM implemented project entitled: "Consolidating and Expanding Technical Cooperation on Migration through Turkey's Field Region" was funded by the United Kingdom Embassy in Ankara.  Project focused on fostering the implementation of the National Action Plan on migration and asylum, on contributing to curbing irregular migration and on better management of regular migration. Another example is a jointly implemented project by IOM and the Ministry of Interior entitled: "Fighting Against Illegal Migration through Fraud Detection".  This project’s focus was on training;  (1) training law enforcement officials to combat irregular and illegal migration; and (2) devloping and establishing an interactive, continuous training module for application to border control challenges such as the detection of forged documents used to smuggle migrants through Turkey.

IOM Turkey has implemented a TCM project specifically directed to cover integrated border management.  This project is designed to support Turkey’s efforts to reform and modernize its border management in line with the requirements of the EU accession process for ıntegrated border management.

On  regional basis, IOM Turkey is currently implementing a project entitled: “Strengthening Integrated Border Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey”. The purpose of this project is to guide the development of functional, effective and integral systems for border management in line with EU standards for the Western Balka ns and Turkey. The objective is to foster and enhance inter-agency bilateral and regional cooperation and coordination.

“Support the development of Integrated Border Management (IBM) Road Map for Turkey in the framework of EU Accession Requirements”; project focused on enhancing the national capacity to conduct integrated border management through supporting the development of a national road map to bring up to date and further implement the IBM reform by the task force within the framework of the EU accession process.