Skopje, 15 June 2023 (MIA) - Ahead of the official opening of the 2023 Prespa Forum Dialogue on Thursday, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski met with newly elected Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope. 

PM Kovachevski extended congratulations to Pope, who is to begin her five-year term on Oct. 1, 2023, and wished her success as the first woman to lead the ION, the Government said in a press release. 

Interlocutors assessed the cooperation with the Government as successful, in the area of ​​crisis response and migration management, particularly given the situation with the presence of migrants on the southern border, i.e. between North Macedonia and Greece.

Kovachevski noted that North Macedonia has aligned activities and policies with its European partners in relation to migration issues, adding that it continues to actively cooperate with the IOM, recognizing that good migration management is important for security in regional and European frameworks and as an issue of importance in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

"Effective migration management is among the Government's priorities, particularly in the area of ​​early detection and prevention of illegal crossings and movements along the Balkan route, with a focus on border security," said PM Kovachevski, as cited in the press release.

Participants in the meeting stressed the importance of strengthening cross-border cooperation as one of the main preconditions for effective management of illegal migration. 

Photo and video: Government of the Republic of North Macedonia