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ICMPD's Director General Mr Michael Spindelegger gave a speech on 30 June 2016 at the Crans Montana Forum on the occassion of their 27th Annual Session. The topic of the session was "The New Challenge of Migration is changing Our World."

On 23 June 2016 ICMPD's Director General gave a speech for the Fundamental Rights Forum in Vienna. Mr Spindelegger discussed the migration crisis as well as the question of how sustainable growth in migration can also be fundamental-rights compliant.

ICMPD's Director General gave a speech for the Parliament of Finland in Helsinki on 3 June 2016. In his speech he discussed the current state of migration in the European Union and the world.

On 30 May 2016, ICMPD's Director General gave a speech for the Central European Initiative, where he discussed the on-going cooperation between CEI and ICMPD as well as the current migration crisis.

ICMPD's Director General visited Beirut to commence the kick-off meeting of IBM Lebanon. In his speech, he praises Lebanon's response to the refugee crisis while also emphasising the importance of integrated border management.

On April 8 2016, a conference titled "Austria: A Locomotive for Cooperation in Central Europe and the Balkans" was held at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. ICMPD's Director General gave a  speech on migration in the West Balkans and the new EU-Turkey Deal.

At the 2016 OSCE Security Days, held on 4 March in Rome, experts from government, think tanks and academic institutions, civil society, youth and media were invited to engage in an interactive discussion on current security issues against the backdrop of mounting migration flows. Director General Spindelegger delivered this speech at the session entitled 'Reviewing Security Approaches and Tools of Migration Management'.

On 25 February 2016, the Budapest Security Conference was held. Representatives of European countries as well as international organisations had the opportunity to discuss recent security challenges related to migration as well as tasks for the next NATO summit scheduled for July in Warsaw. Mr Michael Spindelegger, Director General of IMCPD, spoke at Panel II of the security conference which examined the long-term challenges of migration.

On the occassion of his inauguration as Director General of ICMPD, Mr Michael Spindelegger gave speeches both at the Brussels mission on 26 January, as well as in Vienna on 29 January. In his speeches, Mr Spindelegger discussed his vision of strengthening ICMPD's role as a think and do-tank and furthermore enhancing the role which the organisation is taking in assisting governments and regional organisations on migration issues.

The Ministerial Conference organised under the Bulgarian Salzburg Forum Presidency on 18-19 November 2015 gave yet another opportunity to discuss the leading issues of mixed migration flows, migration pressure, security, terrorism and the way to address them. Mr Michael Spindelegger, Director General elect of ICMPD, underlined in his speech that the current migration crisis challenges migration systems of all affected countries, be it of transit or destination.

On 11-12 November 2015, heads of states and government from the EU and Africa met in Valletta for a summit on migration. At this meeting, heads of states adopted a political declaration as well as an action plan. ICMPD participated in the summit and spoke during the official meetings.