On 1 July 2011, IOM Azerbaijan started to implement the project on Pre-Departure, Post-Arrival Reintegration Assistance to Azerbaijani Nationals from the Netherlands that aimed to facilitate the sustainable reintegration of up to 40 Azerbaijani nationals returned to Azerbaijan either voluntarily with IOM assistance or involuntarily under the auspices of the Government of the Netherlands.  

Assistance to voluntary returnees included provision of pre-departure counselling; return assistance; reception upon arrival and reintegration assistance in Azerbaijan. Assistance to forced returnees was limited to post arrival reintegration assistance only after they were formally admitted to Azerbaijan passing through immigration points.

Information brochures describing services provided within the project have been developed by IOM Azerbaijan and distributed among the potential returnees in the Netherlands.  

In May 2012 IOM Azerbaijan’s Project Coordinator travelled to the Netherlands and visited the centres where potential returnees were hosted, to provide pre-departure counselling and inform about IOM’s voluntary return assistance and post-return reintegration opportunities in home country as well as current social-economical situation in Azerbaijan.  

The project funded by the Repatriation and Departure Services (R&DS) of the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands will finish on 30 June 2012, and will be followed by a new project with participation of more EU Member State countries under European Reintegration Instrument of EU.