Justice Minister Jans signs migration agreement with Iraq
Published: Friday, May 24th 2024, 16:20
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Justice Minister Beat Jans and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein have signed a migration agreement in Bern. It regulates facilitated repatriation, the promotion of voluntary return and the reintegration of rejected asylum seekers.
The number of asylum applications from Iraq is relatively high, as Jans' Federal Department of Justice and Police announced on Friday. The agreement came about after talks and negotiations by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) in recent years. The SEM has been supporting migration-related projects in Iraq since 2020.
The agreement regulates the readmission of own nationals and the promotion of voluntary return. It also aims to promote the economic integration of returnees through training and other services.
In addition to the return regulation, Switzerland and Iraq want to deepen their cooperation on the issue of migration, for example through academic exchange. A regular migration dialog is also planned.
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is planning to open an embassy in Baghdad at the end of the year, which should further stimulate mutual relations. The SEM is preparing to send a Swiss migration officer to the Iraqi capital.
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