Establishment of a Unit of Migration Investigations within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador

The project is enabling final planning and pilot implementation of the Unit of Migration Investigations, to be integrated into the Ecuadorian Institute of International Migration, established under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The principal mission of the Unit will be the articulation of the state of Ecuadorian migration both inside and outside the country. The Unit will be responsible for supporting policy development by developing objective information and undertaking precise studies on causes, consequences, characteristics and perceptions of the migratory phenomena of the country, including the production of needed migration statistics. The work of the Unit will serve as a catalyst and support for the activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in establishing or reformulating migration programmes and policies, and in managing migration flows, and informing Ecuadorian migrants about their rights.

As part of the implementation of this unit, the project will support the formulation of the following programmes previewed in the National Action Plan for Ecuadorians abroad: (a) assisted return of migrants; (b) transfer of knowledge and technology from highly-skilled Ecuadorians residing abroad; (c) long-distance learning for Ecuadorians abroad; and (d) assistance to Ecuadorians detained abroad.