'Morocco showing benevolent approach to migrants'

Geneva, Feb 13 (IANS/MAP) The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) "will spare no effort" to support Morocco in the implementation of its migration policy, IOM Director General William Lacy-Swing said on Monday.

He made this statement in a meeting with Morocco's permanent representative in Geneva, Ambassador Mohamed Aujjar, who informed him of the latest developments of the second phase of the Kingdom's campaign to regularise the legal situation of undocumented Sub-Saharan nationals.

"Morocco is showing the way to a much better humanitarian and benevolent approach to migrants," Lacy-Swing said.

He noted that the Moroccan initiative to regularise the legal situation of migrants "demonstrates a coherent, comprehensive, humanist and responsible approach", adding that the international community praises efforts made by Morocco to improve migrants' socio-economic living conditions.

The IOM Director General noted that this initiative will require significant human and financial resources, adding that his organisation is ready to provide "all possible assistance".

He also congratulated Morocco on its return to the African Union, noting that "this historic return will open new horizons to its relations with African countries and will have a positive impact on migration and migrants".

--IANS

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