Director General of the International Organization for Migration, Mr. William Lacy Swing

 Established in 1951, IOM is the leading intergovernmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners. With 166 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.

After decades of close and fruitful cooperation with UN agencies, the close relationship was formalized when IOM officially joined the United Nations in September 2016, establishing itself as a related organization within the UN family.

IOM works to help ensure a proper 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, be they refugees, displaced persons or other uprooted people. The IOM Constitution gives explicit recognition to the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the right of freedom of movement of persons.

IOM works in four broad areas of migration management:

• Migration and development
• Facilitating migration
• Regulating migration
• Addressing forced migration

For further information about IOM’s work globally, please visit the IOM global website.