Guatemala - Migrants living outside Guatemala will have better access to consular authorities through the MiGuate App, a digital tool created by IOM to strengthen the response that the government provides to migrants during emergencies and natural disasters.
The mobile app will help meet the growing challenges of migration management at an operational level, encourage the social development of those living or working outside of the country, and contribute to the well-being of migrants.
App users abroad will be able to access the geo-references of the closest Guatemalan consulates, identify support and protection services, get information, make consular appointments, and contact their families during emergency situations in Guatemala.
The app was designed with input from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINEX), which will be responsible for updating the content. It can be configured in Spanish, English and one of the Mayan languages of Guatemala, and is available for Android and IOS.
Importantly the MiGuate App guarantees the confidentiality of people living abroad as irregular migrants. IOM expects that most of the two million Guatemalans living in the United States, who represent 97 percent of Guatemalan emigrants, will download the app.
One of the main characteristics of irregular migration is invisibility. People remain invisible from fear of deportation, making it difficult to meet their needs, especially in situations of crisis or emergency.
“MiGuate App will provide all migrants with reliable, first-hand, real-time information,” said MICIC Coordinator in Guatemala Alejandro Martinez.
Jimmy Morales, President of Guatemala, presented the app to the Guatemalan community in New York on a recent visit to the United States to attend the 71st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
The development of the app is part of the Migrants in Countries in Crisis (MICIC) Initiative, which is implemented by IOM in Myanmar, the Philippines, Mexico, and Guatemala. Similar apps will also be developed for Honduran and Salvadorean migrants, following consultations with the authorities.
For further information please contact Melissa Vega in IOM Guatemala, Tel: +502 2414-7405, Email: mevega@iom.int
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