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Implemented Activities

COMESA: Free Movement of Persons

Objective: The overall objective of this Action was to support the development of the Free Trade Area within COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa). 

Summary: In March 2011, MIEUX provided technical assistance to the 7th COMESA Chief Immigration Officers’ Meeting and the 4th Meeting of Ministers responsible for immigration, both held in Lusaka, Zambia. These events aimed to promote the Visa and Free Movement Protocols, as well as the COMESA Model Law on Immigration, through focusing on the topics of protocol implementation, harmonisation of national laws and cooperation on immigration matters between Member States to facilitate trade. This latter meeting resulted in the establishment of two task forces assigned to take the lead in the implementation of the Protocols of Free Movement: the Task Force for the Implementation of the Roadmap and the Task Force on Capacity Building. 

A technical workshop on the harmonisation of COMESA Immigration Laws was held in June 2011 in Mbabane, Swaziland, and support was provided to the first meeting of the COMESA Task Force on Capacity Building, and a Roadmap for Protocol Implementation and Legal Harmonisation. The final activity of this action took place from 14 - 16 March 2012 in the form of a technical workshop in Nairobi on cooperation and immigration for the COMESA Chiefs of Immigration and a one-day meeting of the Task Forces on capacity building on the implementation of the Protocols. This meeting resulted in several recommendations that outline the next steps for the Task Forces to carry on the current momentum for implementation.  This Action was implemented with expertise from the British national administration.    

Mercosur: A Human Right’s Cross-cutting Approach to Border Management and Trafficking in Human Beings

Objective: The aim of this Action was to support the Parliament of the MERCOSUR in the development of the free movement of persons’ agenda in the region.

Summary: The MIEUX technical assistance touched upon the areas of Border Management and Trafficking in Human Beings, with a human rights’ cross-cutting perspective. In June 2011, the "Working Group Session on Regional Migration Policy and Security" took place in Paraguay, with the participation of representatives from both legislative and executive bodies of the MERCOSUR Member and Associate States. Workshops on the topics of trafficking in human beings and border management took place in Montevideo in September and December 2011, during which recommendations for the course of action in each of the given areas were elaborated. The activities were implemented with the participation of experts from the Austrian, Spanish and Portuguese national administrations.

Moldova / Eastern Partners: Conference "'The Eastern Partners' contribution to the Stockholm Programme: synergies to improve mobility and strengthen security"

Objective: MIEUX supported the organisation of a Regional Conference entitled "The Eastern Partners' contribution to the Stockholm Programme: Synergies to improve mobility and strengthen security".

Summary: The Conference was followed by a one-day expert level meeting. Taking place in Chisinau on 24/25 January 2011, with the participation of the EC Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ms. Malmström, the event identified joint actions to be carried out in order to improve mobility and cooperation in the JHA field within the Stockholm Programme framework. This paved the way for the establishment of a framework for a regular dialogue between EU institutions, EU Member States and Eastern Partners and other interested third countries, both at Government and civil society levels.

Duration: January 2011 

Panama: Integrated Border Management (IBM)

Objective: The MIEUX technical assistance in Panama aimed at supporting the development of a national IBM strategy through the provision of training and long-distance assistance.

Summary: The first workshop took place in Panama City in October 2010. The three-day training aimed at providing key officials with the methodology and tools for initiating the process of developing a national IBM strategy. Specific focus was given to the setting up of an IBM Inter-agency Working Group (IAWG). Representatives from eight national agencies with relevant border management responsibilities were brought together to share experiences and were exposed to the best practices and examples of IBM implementation at the European level.

A second workshop in February 2011 focused on the state of play and challenges of IBM in Panama and the identification of the main needs and priorities in this regard, as well as possible solutions to improve inter-agency cooperation. A preliminary identification of key objectives for the national IBM strategy was carried out.

Through continuous long-distance assistance throughout the action, an analysis of the state of play of border management in Panama was conducted and final recommendations for the way forward in the process of developing a national IBM strategy were elaborated and handed-over to the national authorities in August 2011.

Colombia: Document Security and Trafficking in Human Beings

Objective: The MIEUX technical assistance action in Colombia aimed at strengthening the capacities of the national authorities to manage the fight against irregular migration and document fraud. To this end, the action contributed to provide the national security forces with capable trained resource persons in the areas of Document Security and Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) and Smuggling of Migrants (SoM).

Summary: In October 2010 a five-day working group session took place, with the aim of assessing the state of play of national migration management practices, with a particular focus on the fight against irregular migration. Over 30 officials were brought together to discuss regional cooperation, trafficking and smuggling issues, border control and document security matters, as well as modern migration management systems and practices based on the EU experience. Final conclusions of this session identifying main gaps and needs, as well as priority courses of action, in each of the thematic areas were presented.

In February 2011, two training of trainers’ courses on document security and trafficking in human beings/smuggling of migrants were delivered. Two training manuals were elaborated and handed over to the beneficiary authorities, including the relevant training academy. (“Investigation of Trafficking in Human Beings and Smuggling of Migrants” and “Examination and Analysis of Identity and Travel Documents”). The MIEUX Colombia action concluded with a study visit to Madrid for key Colombian officials in late June 2011, which familiarised with EU and Spanish migration management practices, particularly in the field of border management.

Zambia: Trafficking in Human Beings

Objective: MIEUX provided institutional and staff capacity building in the field of anti-trafficking, to the Zambian Anti-Human Trafficking Secretariat under the Home Affairs Research Planning Information Department (HARID) with the support of experts from the Dutch and Portuguese national administrations, as well as EUROPOL expertise.

Summary: Preparatory meetings for this action took place in Lusaka, in June 2010, followed by an assessment mission in the beginning of December 2010. A training session on investigation and prosecution, victim support and assistance, and (transnational) referral mechanisms took place in December, and was followed by a study visit in February 2011 to the Netherlands to meet with various national administrations, as well as EUROPOL and EUROJUST. The study visit allowed the members of the Secretariat to observe and benefit from EU good practices and first-hand experiences in combating trafficking in human beings. The MIEUX action was concluded in March 2011 with training on monitoring and evaluation where links between all relevant national stakeholders, in particular the police, the Ministry of Home Affairs and public prosecutors, were strengthened and where the role of the Secretariat, as the custodian and leading implementing agency of the national anti-human trafficking act, was confirmed. It also involved experts from: Portugal, the Netherlands and a Europol expert.

Bolivia: Capacity Building of Consular Staff

Objective: MIEUX provided capacity building for Bolivian consular staff with the assistance of experts from the Spanish national administration. The first assessment mission to La Paz took place in July 2010 with the aim to review and map the gaps and needs of the Directorate General for Consular Affairs. The manual "EU Migration and Asylum Matters for Consular Use" was developed to be used as basis for the delivery of the series of training sessions taking place at different Bolivian consular posts. The first training for consular staff took place in La Paz in November 2010. Following the completion of the first phase of activities this action was formally closed.

Azerbaijan: Irregular Migration and Legal Framework

Objective: MIEUX supported the revision of the national migration legislation with the assistance of experts from the Dutch, Bulgarian and Danish national administrations.

Summary: In July 2010, an assessment mission to Baku took place and a review of the national legal framework was carried out. In the meantime, and in the same month, a study tour to Poland was organised, allowing the exposure of Azeri officials to European practices concerning the fight against irregular migration and management of internal and external borders. As a result of the assessment mission, a report was produced highlighting the main gaps and needs of the national migration framework and formulating a set of recommendations with regards to the enhancement of the domestic migration legislation. A  two-day training on migration legislation took place in January 2011.

Central American Integration System: Integrated Border Management

Objective: MIEUX supported the Central American Integration System (SICA) in the organisation of a Regional Thematic Workshop on Integrated Border Management (IBM), which took place in Panama City, with the aim of introducing the concept of IBM in the region.

Summary: For the first time in the Central American integration process, representatives from different institutions – police, migration and customs – of different countries – SICA Member States Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, as well as Belize – were brought together to discuss the concept of IBM and explore its potential for border management in Central America.

Duration: 10 - 14 May 2010

Sierra Leone: Combating Irregular Flows: Border Management and Development of Migration Legislation

Objective: MIEUX provided expertise through a series of trainings on border management/security and migration legislation.

Summary: A fact-finding mission took place in April 2010 in order to assess the migration and border management needs. As a result, an Assessment Report on Border Management and Migration Legislation was elaborated, which included a set of practical recommendations. Two training sessions on border management and security took place in Freetown with the aim of presenting EU and EU Member State models in these target areas. The training session gathered relevant border management authorities at the national and local level. The training session 'Migration Legislation' took place from 4 - 6 October 2011. The expertise was provided by experts from Lithuania, Romania, the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria.

Ethiopia: Conference "National Dialogue on Tackling Illegal Migration"

Objective: From 11 - 12 March 2010, in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MIEUX provided support and technical assistance in the implementation of the Ethiopian National Conference on Irregular Migration.

Summary: Held at the UN-ECA Conference Hall in Addis Ababa, the conference brought together, for the first time under one roof, over 250 national stakeholders – both from the capital and regions – to discuss and find common grounds on key challenges related to combating smuggling and trafficking in human beings. MIEUX EU experts, from the United Kingdom Home Office and the Border Agency, assisted and advised participants in the development of a national strategy on irregular migration. The conference was opened by the Their Excellencies Ato Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Mr. Dino Sinigallia, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Ethiopia, and Mr. Antonio Sánchez-Benedito Gaspar, Ambassador of Spain to Ethiopia.

Duration: 11 - 12 March 2010

Armenia: Migration Information Management

Objective: The activity in Armenia, which involved two stages, aimed to provide support to the State Migration Service of the Republic of Armenia in enhancing migration information management and migration policies.

Summary: During the first mission to Armenia, 2 - 9 February 2010, the experts in migration data from Belgium, Italy and France, and an expert in migration policy from The Netherlands, assessed the current state of affairs related to migration and migration data management by holding bilateral meetings with national authorities and other stakeholders in charge of migration aspects, and by assessing the legal and institutional frameworks. As a result of this rapid, fact-finding mission, the experts developed the programme of a two-day seminar on EU standards and practices on migration data collection and management, and of the one-day Round Table on Migration Policy which took place 10 - 12 March 2010 in Yerevan. The purpose of the seminar was to familiarise Armenian officials, from various institutions, with EU standards with respect to the collection of migration data, information and statistics, analysis and management, as well as to provide recommendations to the Armenian authorities on the improvement of the national migration information system. The Round Table placed emphasis on the various challenges Armenia faces due to the ongoing emigration, the demographic and economic situations, the issue of remittances, etc., and how these factors influence the vision and objectives of national migration policy. The recommendations formulated by the experts are to be considered by the Armenian State Migration Service when drafting the new National Migration Strategy, a process which has been initiated.

Duration: February 2010 - March 2010

Mozambique: Modern Migration Management

Objective: MIEUX assisted the Department of Immigration of Mozambique through a three-step activity aimed at strengthening the country’s capacities in border management and document security, with the support of three Portuguese experts and a Slovenian expert.

Summary: Following up on the training programme on irregular migration management delivered to Mozambican officials from 23 - 31 January 2010, the Portuguese SEF hosted a five-day study visit for migration officials from the Department of Immigration of Mozambique from 22-  26 March 2010, which aimed to provide first-hand experience of EU and Portuguese good practices. The final step of this MIEUX technical assistance was the provision of an in-depth border management and document security training at provincial border crossing points in Mozambique 31 May -11 June 2010.

Duration: January 2010 - June 2010

Kazakhstan: Seminar on Visa Facilitation and Migration Between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the EU

Objective: MIEUX organised a seminar on mobility in Astana, which was attended by the relevant national authorities of Kazakhstan, the European Commission and EU Member States. The objective of the seminar was to improve the capacities of relevant institutions to better manage migration-related issues in accordance with EU standards and practices, as well as to provide a platform for discussion and increased cooperation between Kazakh authorities and the EU. Five MIEUX experts from the administrations of France, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Sweden contributed to the success of this action.

Duration: 22 October 2009

Angola: Migration Legislation Development and Asylum

Malawi: Border Management

Objective: MIEUX supported capacity building in Malawi in the field of border management.

Summary: Three MIEUX experts from the Slovenian Border Police participated in this activity. The activity has proven highly successful and contributed to improving border management procedures and capacities through the delivery of quick and concrete results. Along with the delivery of a ‘Practical Handbook for Immigration Officials on Border Procedures in Malawi’, training was provided to a group of trainers to enable them to disseminate information to immigration, border police and customs officers in Malawi and to both land and air border crossing point personnel.

Duration: September 2009 -  November 2009

Programme Manager

Ms. Chantal Lacroix

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