IOM: Over one million Iraqis still internally displaced

Shafaq News- Baghdad

More than one million Iraqis remain internally displaced and in need of housing, livelihoods, official documentation, and basic services, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday, reaffirming its commitment, alongside the United Nations, to supporting Iraq’s recovery, stability, and sustainable development.

Speaking at the launch of Iraq’s National Migration Strategy in Baghdad, IOM Iraq Chief of Mission Pascal Reyntjens called on the international community to help rehabilitate and reintegrate families returning from Syria, including those from Al-Hol camp.

Reyntjens pointed to significant progress in moving beyond the immediate effects of conflict toward nationally led recovery, with millions returning to their areas of origin and government institutions taking a greater role in addressing population movements. Climate change and water scarcity, he cautioned, are creating new pressures on human mobility.

Read more: Iraq’s Displacement: war-driven migration to climate-induced pressures

Developed jointly by the Ministry of Migration and Displacement and the IOM, the strategy outlines priorities for protecting people on the move, expanding regular migration pathways, assisting returnees from Syria, and strengthening national management of displacement. It also promotes small and medium-sized businesses as a source of employment for vulnerable families.

International partners should move beyond humanitarian assistance and invest in Iraq’s capacity to address future challenges, Reyntjens argued, stressing the need for coordination among state institutions, local authorities, international organizations, and civil society.

Read more: Jurf Al-Sakhar: A decade on, Iraq's displaced still barred from return