Tehran – November 5, 2024
Ms. Lalini Veerassamy, Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Iran, visited Ambassador Dr. Asad M. Khan, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).
The meeting provided an opportunity to both sides to discuss potential areas of collaboration and shared priorities between ECO and IOM. Ms. Veerassamy highlighted the 2009 Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations and updated Ambassador Khan on IOM’s recent activities, including the ECO-IOM joint workshop on “Combating Trafficking in Persons and Human Smuggling in the ECO Region,” held in July 2024.
Ambassador Khan emphasized that migration remains a significant challenge in the ECO region, which spans countries that are major sources, transit points and destinations for large migrant populations. He noted that frequent political, social, economic and environmental developments further impact migration patterns in the area. He underscored the importance of enhanced collaboration between ECO and IOM in addressing these challenges, particularly in relation to sustainable development priorities.
