ATHENS — Greece will be included in the international forum "International Centre for Migration Policy Development" (ICMPD), the Migration and Asylum Ministry said on Thursday.

Greece participated today for the first time as an observer in the meeting of the ICMPD Board of Directors and was represented by Alternate Minister for Migration and Asylum Giorgos Koumoutsakos. The meeting was chaired by the Swiss Deputy Minister of Immigration, Mario Gattiker.

Koumoutsakos underlined, among other things, the added value of our country's participation in ICMPD, based on its experience in migration and asylum and the multifaceted dimension offered by its geostrategic position.

He further noted that Greece, as a front-line EU member state, attaches particular importance to the international dimension of the migration challenge, actively participating in European and international cooperation programmes in order to find common effective solutions and develop mutual understanding.

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development is an international organisation of 18 member states from Europe, active in more than 90 countries worldwide. It follows a regional approach, aiming at creating effective collaborations along migration routes. Priority areas include Africa, Central and South Asia, Europe and the Middle East.