Iran’s National Organization for Migration and Italy’s CESVI are exploring cooperative projects to support refugees in Iran. Discussions focus on agriculture, financial aid from Italy, and the challenges faced due to international support shortfalls. Yar-Ahmadi emphasizes the need for better funding and education infrastructure amid increasing pressures from refugee populations.
On February 16, Nader Yar-Ahmadi, the head of Iran’s National Organization for Migration, and Marcelo García Dalla Costa from Italy’s CESVI held discussions to explore ways to enhance their collaborative efforts. The focus of the meeting was to develop joint projects aimed at supporting Iran as a country that hosts numerous refugees through a humanitarian approach, according to ILNA reports.
Dalla Costa recognized Iran’s challenges in supporting refugees, citing the country’s burden and limited international assistance. He discussed implementing projects in agriculture to aid food production, generate income, and provide livelihoods for foreign nationals in Iran, especially Afghan refugees. Additionally, he noted his conversations with the Italian ambassador regarding funding from Italy for projects aimed at supporting refugees and immigrants in the region.
Yar-Ahmadi described the efforts of the National Organization for Migration in aiding Afghan refugees and other displaced individuals. He highlighted the challenges faced in hosting these refugees while also underscoring their peaceful integration and access to citizenship services. He expressed optimism about future projects aligned with humanitarian principles and welcomed the collaboration in agricultural initiatives to ensure food security and economic stability.
In a broader context, Yar-Ahmadi mentioned that if the international community fails to adequately support Iran in hosting refugees, the nation may need to reconsider its immigration policies. During an annual session with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in October 2024, he addressed the increasing pressures on Iran’s infrastructure due to rising foreign national populations and inadequate humanitarian funding.
He emphasized that the costs associated with refugee hosting have been significantly underfunded, leading to the impracticality of accommodating more refugees. Yar-Ahmadi also highlighted the priority to find third countries for resettling vulnerable refugees, while also appealing for enhanced support from the UNHCR, notably in the education sector for Afghan nationals. He pointed out that, since 2021, the number of schools built has fallen drastically short of the required infrastructure to meet educational needs.
The discussions between Iran’s National Organization for Migration and CESVI highlight a commitment to enhancing cooperation in supporting refugees through humanitarian initiatives. Increased agricultural projects and financial assistance from Italy have the potential to significantly improve the livelihoods of refugees in Iran. However, a lack of adequate international funding remains a pressing challenge, requiring urgent attention to support Iran’s refugee policies and educational needs effectively.
Original Source: www.tehrantimes.com
