Return Migration Infrastructures in Iraq – Country Dossier WP3

This report provides a snapshot of the nature of the return migration infrastructure in Iraq, represented by the services provided to returning migrants, whether they returned through forced, assisted or voluntary means. The report focuses on Iraqi returnees from EU countries and it starts with a historical overview of the major waves of migration that Iraq has witnessed over the past decades, as well as their motives, time stages, trends, and available numbers over time. The context briefly addresses the social, economic, and political conditions, as well as their repercussions and effects on developing the infrastructure for return migration in Iraq.The report provides a map of the infrastructure of return migration, explaining the main actors, their roles, and the tasks assigned to each of them in a brief and simplified manner. It also reveals the performance of state agencies, international institutions, the role of humanitarian organizations, the nature of coordination between them, the actors and their various procedures, materials and technologies used, the nature of cooperation and coordination as well as implementation gaps. The report shows that Baghdad International Airport serves as the exclusive point where deportees from abroad are received, explaining all the steps taken to provide facilities and services before, during and after they arrive at the airport. The report also highlights Iraq’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM), an executive program providing services to returnees, whether forced, assisted or deported. This program is a model for the existing infrastructure framework in Iraq. NRM is the foundational system governing return migration, as it facilitates communication between key stakeholders and coordinates services for returnees. It serves as a model for effective migration governance in Iraq. In conclusion, the report identifies many obstacles and challenges, presenting several conclusions and recommendations for improving the reality of the infrastructure for return migration in Iraq.