Project title: Technical Assistance to the Migration Management and Information Centre (CIGEM) 

Sector: Migration

Overall term: 07/2008 - 10/2011

Financial Instrument: EDF

Budget: €2.102.944

Detailed project description: In February 2007, the Government of Mali together with the European Commission, ECOWAS, France and Spain agreed to support the establishment of the Migration Information and Management Centre in Bamako.
The aim of the Centre is to help Mali define a Malian migration policy addressing the concerns of potential migrants, returning migrants and migrants residing outside of Mali.
It is a pilot project that has a global and innovative approach to migration issues, since it creates a direct link between Migration, Employment, Vocational Training and Development.
The Centre’s mission focuses on the following in particular:

• welcoming and providing information, guidance and support to potential and returning migrants
• providing information on the legal aspects of migration and raising awareness amongst the population in order to prevent illegal migration
• reinforcing the Diaspora’s role in the development of Mali
• improving knowledge of the migration phenomena

EUNIDA deployed long term and short term experts to provide the required technical assistance for the creation and development of CIGEM. The Centre was inaugurated officially on 6 October 2008.
Information and support to CIGEM visitors: after a slow start (end of 2008 /beginning of 2009), the number of visitors to CIGEM steadily increased and now frequently exceeds 600 people a month.