News

On 31 May 2024, the Steering Group meeting from the project SCOP 3.1 took place online. The purpose of the event was to report on the project progress so far, as well as to inform the stakeholders about the remaining activities before its completion. 

On 28 May 2024, ICMPD and the HEROES project launched the "Manual for Early Identification of Potential Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings and Child Sexual Abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation". The Manual elaborates on the legal definitions of the THB and CSA/E phenomena and provides examples of existing tools for early identification. 

On 15-22 May, ICMPD facilitated a series of workshops for the Moldovan Border Police aimed at guiding it in handling evaluations in line with EU good practices as defined by the SchEval Mechanism. The training team was composed of both EU and local experts with the view to ensure transfer of knowledge for project sustainability.

Published under the EU-funded and ICMPD-implemented “Support to the Implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan (MOBILAZE 2)” project, the Migration Textbook provides a comprehensive overview of the migration field, exploring its historical roots, current trends, and future prospects. The textbook covers a wide range of migration-related topics, from migration theories to governance, and from migration management in Azerbaijan to integration and security.

On 25 April 2024, the Athens Thematic Meeting on the “External dimension of migration management - Tools for regular pathways” was held in Athens, Greece as a flagship event under the Greek chairmanship of ICMPD’s Steering Group in 2024.

On 26 April 2024, the Secretary to the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, Mr R. P. A. Wimalaweera, and Ms Sedef Dearing, Director for Migration Dialogues and Cooperation, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) opened the Migrant Information Centre (MIC) in Sri Lanka. 

This year constitutes the Prague Process’ 15th anniversary and thereby an opportunity to reflect upon the origins and evolution of the Process since its establishment in 2009.

The Annual Report takes stock of the milestones, opportunities and challenges in the past year, along with recurring issues that have surfaced to reshape the migration discourse.

On 16th April, ICMPD organised together with the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences a workshop in Warsaw dedicated to enhancing human rights monitoring in the context of forced returns. The workshop took place within the framework of the Horizon Europe project “Finding Agreement in Return” (FAiR) which assesses the legitimacy and effectiveness of the EU’s return policies.

ICMPD recently published the Second Edition of the Legal Guide for Foreigners in Libya to provide interested parties with up-to-date information on migration legislation in the State of Libya. 

On 15-17 April 2024, a delegation from Georgia, comprising representatives from state institutions and startup associations, embarked on a productive visit to Belgium to foster innovative approaches to mobility and entrepreneurship. The mission aimed to explore circular migration possibilities between the two nations, with a particular emphasis on facilitating entrepreneurial ventures.

On 17 April 2024, ICMPD’s Director General, Michael Spindelegger, participated in the 27th European Police Congress in Berlin, Germany. The congress provides an international platform for political and police decision-makers to convene and foster dialogue. During this year’s event, experts from 20 different nations participated in around 30 forums, discussing relevant developments in the field. 

The ICMPD team from the Regional Office Silk Routes visited Baghdad for a round of high-level bilateral meetings and events. On 15 April, a meeting was held with the Ministry of Interior, one of the key partners for ICMPD in Iraq, focusing on enhancing the ongoing cooperation, particularly within the framework of border management initiatives.

On 14-15 April 2024, a workshop on International Cooperation was convened in collaboration with the European Union Advisory Mission to Iraq (EUAM-I) and the National Security Advisory of Iraq within the framework of Iraq's National Integrated Border Management (IBM) Strategy in Baghdad. 

On 21-22 March 2024, a hybrid event was organised offering a platform for stakeholders’ cooperation and exchange, including representatives from the public and private sectors to foster trust and understanding of entrepreneurial mobility as a safe channel for temporary migration with a focus on start-ups and entrepreneurs in both Georgia and Belgium.