The Republic of Korea has provided the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with USD two million in assistance to strengthen protection and disaster resilience of vulnerable host communities in Cox's Bazar.

The one-year project was formalized by H.E. Mr. Park Young-sik, Ambassador of Korea to Bangladesh, and Mr. Abdusattor Esoev, Chief of Mission, IOM Bangladesh on Monday (2 September) afternoon.

The project aims to address the existing protection gaps for victims of trafficking (VoTs), survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and other at-risk individuals in the host communities. It will provide comprehensive and integrated protection and prevention services while also enhancing the climate resilience of the host community by improving disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures and emergency response capabilities.

Ambassador Park Young-sik expressed his hope that the support from the Government of Korea will significantly improve the living conditions of the host communities through the implementation of the project.

“The contribution of USD 2 million from the Republic of Korea will support humanitarian activities for host communities and it demonstrates our commitment to providing humanitarian assistance for host communities as well as the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh” said Ambassador Park Young-sik.

Throughout the project implementation, IOM will coordinate the interventions with the Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), the Office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) and the District Administration as well as national and local authorities focused on the host community.

“Korea has been a vital partner for IOM in the Rohingya Refugee Response, assisting in addressing the significant challenges faced by both Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar,” said Mr. Abdusattor Esoev, Chief of Mission, IOM Bangladesh.

“As humanitarian funding for the response continues to decline, we are deeply grateful for the unwavering support from the people and Government of Korea, who have been steadfast in backing IOM’s interventions since the beginning of this crisis.”

Since the beginning of the emergency in August 2017, Korea has been a steady supporter of the Rohingya refugee response in Bangladesh, contributing USD 10 million to IOM and other UN agencies as humanitarian aid in Bangladesh this year.