Lagos, Sep 3 (IANS): The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is set to launch a new project in Nigeria to protect victims of trafficking as well as smuggled migrants while they are in transit.

The project, scheduled to be launched in Abuja on September 7, seeks to provide assistance to such vulnerable people while they are on the move, said Frantz Celestin, IOM's Chief of Mission in Nigeria, in a statement on Thursday.

The project, titled "Cooperation on Migration and Partnerships to Achieve Sustainable Solutions", would also seek to curb irregular migration, Celestin said.

"The overall objective of the project is to contribute to protection and assistance of people on the move, and decrease irregular migration, using an ecological approach to achieve long-term outcomes," the IOM official said.

"Target beneficiaries are victims of trafficking, smuggled migrants with identified protection needs, stranded migrants and vulnerable migrants in their communities," he said.

He said the IOM would also seek to identify potential areas of enhancing coordination efforts and synergy between key stakeholders involved in providing rehabilitation and reintegration support to vulnerable migrants.

The rising number of irregular migrants has been a growing concern for the IOM, Celestin said, adding that between January and May, more than 29,000 people of African origin had landed on the shores of Europe, using the Mediterranean route.