Contact:

In Los Angeles: Stephanie Bowen Communications Manager sbowen@imcworldwide.org 310-826-7800

In Baghdad: Agron Ferati Country Director 964-7901-912-165 aferati@imcworldwide.org

Ministry of Migration Minister Office minister.office@modm-iraq.net

February 15, 2008, Baghdad, Iraq/Los Angeles, Calif. - The Iraq Ministry of Migration under the strategic and operational partnership with International Medical Corps (IMC) will hold the First National Conference in Iraq on displacement. Titled: Towards Improved Preparedness and Response for Displaced and Returning Iraqis, the goal is to strengthen communication and coordination structures for displaced Iraqis and enhance the ability of the Government of Iraq and other national and international actors to respond to the current and future needs of internally displaced persons, refugees and returnees.

"It is within the communities and neighborhoods that the real hard work of resettlement and reintegration of displaced and returning Iraqis will take place." says the Minister of Migration (MOM), Dr. Abdul Samad Sultan. "The MOM conference on displacement will address the most urgent and immediate needs as determined by the actual dynamics at the neighborhood level. We are committed to robust preparedness that will ensure that basic to immediate, and emergency to long terms needs are met, providing a better future for every displaced man, women and child in Iraq."

"This is a key step towards addressing the issues of the true stakeholders; displaced and returning Iraqis themselves. The change in the rate and patterns of displacement must be fully recognized and the dramatic increase in needs acknowledged and addressed immediately," says Agron Ferati, International Medical Corps Country Director in Iraq. "Tribal leaders will be present and fully engaged ensuring that displacement assistance programs are neighborhood focused, which is vital to a sustainable reintegration and support."

The conference will be held March 7-8 in Baghdad. Participants include key service delivery ministries from the Iraqi government, international and national non-governmental organizations, the United Nations, the United States Agency for International Development, and other major stakeholders including displaced and returning Iraqis themselves.

International Medical Corps is one of a handful of international aid organizations currently operating from inside the country. IMC started working in Iraq in 2003 and has had programs in all 18 governorates. IMC is working with the Government of Iraq to establish an effective service delivery framework through improving access to health, education, infrastructural improvements, sustainable employment and community empowerment. IMC has also developed a returnee and neighborhood stabilization strategy that helps close the gap between governmental services and protection and informal local support networks.

###