Who we are

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) established its operations in Montenegro in 2001. Across the country IOM provides a comprehensive response to the humanitarian needs of migrants, internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities through humanitarian direct assistance, recreational activities, and a variety of other efforts. Learn more about IOM in Montenegro.

IOM Global

With 175 member states, a further 8 states holding observer status and offices in over 100 countries, IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.

IOM works to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.

The IOM Constitution recognizes the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement.

IOM works in the four broad areas of migration management:

• Migration and development
• Facilitating migration
• Regulating migration
• Forced migration.

IOM activities that cut across these areas include the promotion of international migration law, policy debate and guidance, protection of migrants' rights, migration health and the gender dimension of migration.

IOM in the Western Balkans

IOM aims to support Member States and partners in the Western Balkans in ensuring well governed migration. As such, IOM supports the development and implementation of effective and interoperable migration governance systems, guided by the Western Balkans’ accession process to the European Union (EU). In addition to supporting the rule of law through strong institutions and policies for sustainable migration management and inclusive societies, IOM promotes evidence-based policy and informed dialogues on migration and its potential for development.

IOM has been present in the Western Balkans since the early 1990s, with its first missions opened in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia in 1992. Initially focused on emergency assistance and reconstruction following the conflict in former Yugoslavia, IOM’s work now includes environment of programmes supporting, but not limited to, migration policy and legislation, mobility and labour migration, social cohesion, reconciliation, prevention of violent extremism, immigration and border management, counter smuggling and counter trafficking, migrant protection and assistance, migration health, diaspora engagement, environment and climate change.

IOM has six missions in the Western Balkans, in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro,

North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo1. The mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina provides sub-regional coordination support, in liaison with the Regional Office in Vienna, helping to address specific sub regional migration issues and emerging trends, and maintaining relations with partners in the sub-region. In 2022, IOM implements 14 regional projects in the Western Balkans, with funding from the EU, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK.

_{Source: IOM Strategy in the Western Balkans (2022-2025)}