International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Overview

MOPAN released its most recent assessment of IOM in 2023.

Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental organisation in the field of migration. Its mandate is to promote humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all, by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. It supports four broad areas of migration management: migration and development, facilitating migration, regulating migration and forced migration.

In 2016, it became a related organisation of the United Nations, formalising its participation in UN forums such as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and giving it a global mandate to advocate on behalf of migrants and their rights. Global developments over the past decade have given greater prominence to IOM’s migration mandate.

The organisation has become a leading provider of humanitarian support in migration crises, including situations of internal displacement. As a consequence, its budget had grown from around USD 1 billion in 2010 to USD 2.99 billion in 2022.

Performance rating summary

IOM 2023 organisational performance wheel — Organisational performance

Key findings

Agility and responsiveness: IOM’s highly decentralised structure and flexible procedures enable rapid and effective delivery in dynamic and often difficult operating environments.
Strong track record in attracting project finance, excellent relationships with donors and pooled funds.
Greater coherence to the organisation, driven by the strategic vision.
Delivering on IOM’s critical global leadership role as the UN’s migration agency, including an important role in humanitarian co-ordination.
A more coherent organisational structure at headquarters following major structural reforms.
A stronger governance and control system under the Internal Governance Framework.
Consistent support to women and the most left behind.

IOM’s financial framework, with its heavy reliance on earmarked funding, remains the primary constraint for organisational development.
A dilemma - for IOM and its funders - on how to set out IOM’s narrative about its global mandate, consistently deliver its strategic vision and address gaps in organisational capacity without compromising IOM’s entrepreneurial strengths.
Finalising, operationalising and consolidating the rollout of structural reforms and key business processes.
Further capacitating IOM in its Network co-ordinator role at regional and country levels.
Systematically integrating conflict sensitivity and accountability to affected populations in all programming, developing a protection strategy and exploring options to promote localisation.