News

On 22 August, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) signed a partnership agreement with the World Maritime University (WMU) to support the development of the Integrated Maritime Strategy of Lebanon. This agreement was signed in the framework of the European Union funded project “Strengthening Capability for Integrated Border Management in Lebanon” (EU IBM Lebanon Phase 3).

On 16 September 2021, the ICMPD Anti-Trafficking Programme launched the regional project “Developing Approaches for Enhancing the Functionality of the National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs) in the MARRI Participants”. The project implementation plan and timeline were presented and discussed during the kick-off online meeting together with the implementation partners from Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative (MARRI) and German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), who is the project donor.

During 21-23 September, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) delivered a Train of Trainers (ToT) on forced return monitoring for a number of interested professionals selected from among relevant Moldovan stakeholders. As part of the same FReMM project, on 24 September ICMPD held a workshop for developing the Guidelines for forced return monitoring, based on the best European practices. Both events gathered a mixed audience from the Moldovan Bureau for Migration and Asylum, the People's Advocates Office of Moldova, and the NGO Law Centre of Advocates. In light of on-going pandemic situation and given the highly interactive nature of the events, on-the spot rapid antigen testing has been arranged for all participants as additional safety measure.

From 14-16 September Members of the Ukrainian Parliament, EU officials as well as experts from several EU-funded projects visited a number of border crossing points on the common border between Ukraine and EU Member States. Its aim was to get acquainted with the available infrastructure and equipment, hear and discuss the needs and ways forward in addressing the current problems and challenges. This field visit was supported by the EU Advisory Mission and the EU4IBM project implemented by ICMPD.

Before the entry into force of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons specially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Protocol), most countries did not comprehensively criminalize trafficking, which left victims unidentified and offenders unpunished – human trafficking was occurring with impunity. Even though countries have today introduced anti-trafficking legislation, impunity remains widespread.

Vienna, 14 October 2021 – The sixth Vienna Migration Conference (VMC) on 19-20 October will bring together top-level decision-makers to discuss game-changing trends that could alter the landscape of negotiations around migration to Europe. Titled “Reimagining migration partnerships: Challenges, opportunities and strategies”.

On 13 October 2021, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) organised an international Migration Partnership Conference in an online format in the framework of the EU-funded “Support to the Implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan” (MOBILAZE 2) project. The conference also served as an official kick-off event of the MOBILAZE 2 project and brought together high-level practitioners and policymakers from Azerbaijan, EU Delegation to Azerbaijan, EU Member States, ICMPD, Eastern Partnership countries (Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova), international actors and other stakeholders including civil society and academia in Azerbaijan. The participants discussed mobility partnership priorities and the main features of migration policy and management in Azerbaijan and in the region.

The CADRE project, implemented by ICMPD within the framework of the European Return and Reintegration Network (ERRIN programme), entered the autumn season hosting two “Train-the-Trainers” sessions for return counsellors in Berlin. The face-to-face training took place on 6-10 September and 27 September-1 October 2021.

On 21 October, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) delivered a Human Rights Training for the Moldovan forced return officer from the Bureau for Migration and Asylum. As part of the same FReMM project, the next day on 22 October ICMPD held a Workshop on coordination and information exchange between the returning authority and the Moldovan forced return monitors.

On 2-3 November 2021 in Paris, EUROMED Migration V and MC2CM, in cooperation with the French Ministry for European and Foreign Affairs and the Club of Venice organised a large-scale event on communicating migration and analysing migration narratives in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

“Re-imagining migration partnerships: Challenges, opportunities and strategies” was the topic of debate at the sixth edition of the annual Vienna Migration Conference, Europe’s leading forum on migration, which took place on 19 and 20 October 2021 at Vienna’s historic Palais Niederösterreich.

On 15 November 2021, the Third ICAT Principal Level Meeting took place. The meeting assessed the implementation of the group’s Plan of Action, adopted a joint statement related to the upcoming UN General Assembly’s High-Level meeting and endorsed ICMPD and UNODC as co-chairs of ICAT in 2022.

The Strengthening Border Security in Ghana Project, held a regional conference in Accra with high-level representatives and technical experts of the governments of Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo, to discuss issues related to security and cross-border cooperation from 8 to 10 November 2021.

On 27-28 October 2021, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) organised an interactive two-day workshop on the Migration Policy Cycle in Baku in a hybrid format within the framework of the EU-funded “Support to the Implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan” (MOBILAZE 2) project. The workshop was facilitated by international academia experts of UNU-Merit/ Maastricht University - Ms Elaine Lebon-McGregor and Ms Eleni Diker and supported by national migration expert - Ms Sevinj Mastiyeva and the ICMPD Baku project team. The workshop covered interactive discussions and know-how exchange on different stages of the migration policy cycle.

Euro-Mediterranean experts and policy actors gathered in Malta and online to discuss migration partnerships and return and reintegration strategies: On 27 and 28 October, representatives of EU Member States and Southern Partner Countries, as well as migration experts, gathered in Valletta (Malta) and online to reflect on the future of migration partnerships and on the new EU Strategy on Voluntary Return and Reintegration.

On 08 - 11 November 2021, the NAVRR project organised a mission to Islamabad (Pakistan) for Turkish authorities to strengthen their cooperation in the area of migration with the authorities of Pakistan.

For the 4^th consecutive year on November 23^rd and 24^th 2021, ICMPD and the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service (SBGS) organised an International Border Management Conference to address ongoing issues in the border management sphere worldwide. This year it took place in Kyiv, with a limit of 50 in-person attendees, while more than 300 registered guests could view the conference unfold from online in their choice of English, French, Russian or Ukrainian.

On 24 November 2021, ICMPD organised the senior expert roundtable “More, better or it does not matter? The promise of legal pathways as a means to reduce irregular migration” to discuss linkages between regular and irregular migration and implications for migration policy. The meeting brought together senior experts and practitioners from EU and ICMPD Member States, public institutions, academia and think tanks.

During 29-30 September, the ICMPD Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia paid a visit to Moldova with the view to learn about the country's new vision on migration and exchange views on top priorities for future programming. The visit comes after recent Parliamentary elections and the establishment of a new Cabinet, with subsequent changes in top management in areas related to migration, as well. In addition to meeting various stakeholders, the mission also took stock of ongoing projects' progress and explored follow-up options.

On 1 December 2021, ICMPD and the Republic of Malta, in its capacity as 2021 Chair of the ICMPD Steering Group, organised a webinar to explore possible ways of strengthening international cooperation to combat migrant smuggling. The aim of the meeting, which brought together senior experts from ICMPD, the Malta Police Force, EU institutions (Europol, European Commission), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and academia, was to discuss cooperation within the context of a renewed EU Action Plan against Migrant Smuggling (2021-2025). 

Within the framework of the AU-EU Continent-to-Continent Migration and Mobility Dialogue (C2CMMD), the African Institute for Remittances (AIR) and the European Commission (EC) organised a webinar on 25 November 2021, supported by ICMPD. Reiterating their commitment for continued joint efforts both parties highlighted the importance of looking beyond cost reduction to leverage the potential for inclusive and sustainable development, while harnessing opportunities in innovation and digitalisation.

On 25 - 26 November 2021, ICMPD and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) organised the final events of the Forced Return Monitoring III project (FReM III)` online. Since December 2018, ICMPD and Frontex were implementing the FReM III project jointly with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and 22 partner countries. The objective was to increase the operational and procedural effectiveness of the Frontex pool of forced-return monitors (Pool) and to support the national forced-return monitoring systems in Member States.

On 10 December, at the occasion of the World Human Rights Day, the project stakeholders jointly presented the Management framework for Moldova. The meeting gathered management-level representatives from both enforcing and monitoring bodies, as well as ICMPD project and expert team.

On 7 December 2021, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) officially launched the implementation period of its 10th phase in Bishkek. The opening conference gathered over 100 participants representing donor institution, national counterparts, implementing consortium and international stakeholders, providing the floor for presentation of the goals, objectives and thematic priorities of the programme.

Malta, 15 December 2021 - Today, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) officially inaugurated the new premises of their Regional Office for the Mediterranean based in Malta, and launched the Training Institute on Migration Capacity Partnership for the Mediterranean (MCP Med TI). The opening took place with the distinguished presence of Hon. Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Malta, Hon. Byron Camilleri, Minister for Home Affairs, National Security and Law Enforcement of Malta and Michael Spindelegger, Director General of ICMPD.