NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 3 – The Italian Permanent Representative to the United Nations in new york, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, met today with Pär Liljert, the new Director of the International Organization for Migrations (IOM) at the UN.
Massari congratulated Mr. Liljert on his appointment. “As an IOM’s solid partner in the migration field, Italy is stepping up its work in the humanitarian one, both as chair of the Humanitarian Dialogue and of the Humanitarian Segment of Ecosoc for the first semester of 2023″, he said.
Prior to taking up his current post, Mr. Liljert was the Chief of Mission for IOM Australia and Regional Coordinator for the Pacific. He served (from 2011 – 2018) as IOM’s Special Envoy and Chief of Mission in the People’s Republic of China, Chief of Mission in Tanzania (2007 – 2011) and Chief of Mission in Zambia (2002 – 2004) and played an important role in establishing IOM’s Africa Capacity Building Center (ACBC) in Tanzania.
IOM joined the United Nations system in September 2016 during the United Nations General Assembly high-level summit to address large movements of refugees and migrants. Previously, IOM was granted Permanent Observer status to the United Nations General Assembly in 1992. Following this, a cooperation agreement between IOM and the United Nations was signed in 1996.
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 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 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. (@OnuItalia)
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