All Contents

In the past year alone, Cabo Verde has seen a steep increase in migrant arrivals on boats, mostly aiming for the Canary Islands — the closest European destination they can try to reach. Dozens arrived on the island of São Vicente; while in 2023, from those who survived the journey, 38 arrived in Sal and 90 in Boa Vista.

ICMPD Director-General Michael Spindelegger joined heads of state and ministers at the Trans-Mediterranean Migration Forum in Tripoli, Libya on 17 July 2024. In a statement, Mr Spindelegger called for strengthened collaboration between Europe and Africa to address the complexities of irregular migration.

BOMCA selected and provided EU funding to 12 projects in the framework of its second Call for Proposals. Continuing the established good practice of cooperation with NGOs from Central Asia, selected NGOs from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan began implementing actions aimed at improving living conditions in border areas in July 2024. The projects will be implemented throughout 2024-2025 with the overall funding of almost 635 000 EUR.

Vienna, 31 July 2024 — ICMPD is growing with another member: Ireland is the 21st Member State to join ICMPD’s work in finding innovative solutions to regional migration challenges. Ireland’s accession is the latest after Germany (2020), Greece (2021), and the Netherlands (2023) joined ICMPD in recent years.

Addressing highly complex, often invisible crimes in a targeted way also requires a highly coordinated approach. As human trafficking and the online sexual exploitation of children increasingly become lucrative enterprises for the criminal syndicates globally and even more challenging to track, the best way to tackle them begins with having the right data.

Stakeholders from various international organisations and the Government of Pakistan reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration and accelerating efforts to combat human trafficking. During an event organised to commemorate World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the emphasis was placed on protecting children and upholding the rights and dignity of those most at risk of exploitation.

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) hosts its annual Vienna Migration Conference (VMC) on 22-23 October 2024. This year’s discussions take place during a pivotal election year and will feature diverse topics that are set to shape the European migration agenda. These include strategies for safer routes, handling irregular arrivals, and labour migration. The public sentiment on migration in light of socio-economic and geopolitical volatility, and ways forward to implement the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, will also be prominently discussed.

As part of the European Union’s ongoing efforts towards improved reporting on migration issues and migrant safety and welfare, ICMPD hosted trainings for Iraqi journalists. 

ICMPD hosted the handover ceremonies for the next phase of the SCOP 3.1 project, in support of Moldova’s border management sector. Safety and surveillance equipment and transport facilities were formally turned over to national authorities, intended for border monitoring and coordination, preventing cross-border crime, and enhancing the operational capacity of the Border Police.

This year’s Senior Officials’ Meeting held in Chisinau on 24-25 September 2024 marked the 15th anniversary of the Prague Process. Bringing together representatives from 26 participating states, the European Commission, European Agency for Asylum, IOM, UNHCR, ICMPD and Joint Coordination Platform, the meeting allowed to jointly reflect on the achievements reached to date and the priorities and lessons learned for the future.

On November 6, 2024, Cabo Verde marked a milestone in its commitment to combating human trafficking with the National Observatory Against Trafficking in Persons, inaugurated by the Minister of Justice and supported by the OBSERVE-CV Project. With the establishment of the Observatory, the 2023 - 2026 action plan on proactive measures to prevent trafficking, support survivors, and strengthen institutional responses will be implemented.