In the context of International Migrants Day, which is annually held on December 18, recognizing the efforts, contributions, and rights of migrants and mobility worldwide, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in cooperation with the General Inspectorate of Border Police (GIBP) and through the general support of the Embassy Office of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chișinău, offered 10,000 travel hygiene kits for travelers at the highest traffic Ports of Entry.

The travel kits include IEC materials on COVID-19 infection, masks, hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes and are being considered the first line of defense against the spread of diseases. The main purpose of this activity is to enhance the capacities of the border police to ensure infection prevention control management by improving access to personal protective equipment against COVID-19 infection.

Mr. Lars Johan Lönnback, Chief of mission IOM Moldova: ” The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on migration and mobility dynamics in the Republic of Moldova. IOM takes all opportunities to improve the response to COVID-19 by working closely with relevant stakeholders. The travel kits are disseminated in the context of the International Migrants Day, which is annually held on December 18, recognizing the efforts, contributions and rights of migrants and mobility worldwide. Representing IOM, the UN migration agency in Moldova, I would like to salute once again the close collaboration with the GIBP and the enormous contribution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the improving of the border security and safe mobility in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Mr. Floris van Eijk, Head of the Dutch Embassy Office in Chisinau:” Border police officers are the first people we interact with when we travel from one country to the other. For this reason the government of the Netherlands with support of our partners and IOM has decided to offer protection equipment  to the border police as well as a set of travel kits for travelers to motivate those travelers  to continue to protect themselves during their stay in the Republic of Moldova.”

The donation is carried out with the financial support of the Embassy Office of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Chisinau within the project “Enhancing the Republic of Moldova’s COVID-19 preparedness and urgent response capacity in the International Borders and Penitentiaries”. The project activities are implemented in close coordination with the General Inspectorate of Border Police (GIBP) and the National Administration of Penitentiaries (NAP) as the primary counterparts.