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Of the 1.2 billion young people joining the global workforce by 2030, around 450 million of them are from Africa. With their dynamic strength, creativity, and skills, these young movers are not only stakeholders in migration and labour policies now – they would also be vital architects of the future. Meanwhile, Europe undergoes profound demographic changes marked by ageing populations and growing labour shortage in essential sectors.

The European Union (EU), the Migration Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan and International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) have launched the first Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Uzbekistan in the framework of EU-funded project “PROTECT: Improving Migration Management and Migrant Protection in selected Silk Routes and Central Asian Countries”. The main purpose of the MRC is to expand access to services for potential migrants across the region on safe and legal migration and raise awareness on the risks of irregular migration and threats of human trafficking. This is the third MRC established in the Central Asia region.

ICMPD culminated the Rights Based Border Management in the Silk Routes Countries (RBM Silk Routes) project in a closing conference in Islamabad last week. The multi-year regional initiative in Pakistan and Iraq enhanced the operational capacities of their border agencies to reduce irregular migration while strengthening human rights protections at borders. 

The Strengthening Border Security (SBS) project in Ghana has successfully concluded, marking a major step in enhancing national and regional border security. Funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in collaboration with the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), the initiative has advanced Ghana’s border management capabilities, contributing to improved security across West Africa.

ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger met with Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, to discuss the newly established Ministry of Unity that he will lead as Minister, as well as ongoing cooperation on border management and supporting the needs for the return and reintegration of Ukrainians. 

Strengthening the local economy while enhancing entrepreneurship capacities of migrants to contribute more productively with their skills and business ideas, as well as creating jobs enriches the host communities. This is the main thrust of the ENHANCER (Entrepreneurship Capacities for Sustainable Socio-Economic Integration) Project, launched in 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic that saw enterprises and workers losing their businesses and jobs.

ICMPD’s EU-funded Project PROTECT hosted a training on “The Role of Media in Forming Migration Questions” last November in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, as a part of a monthly training series on migration themes organised for the country’s Migration Service.

The research project “Re-thinking approaches to labour migration. Potential and gaps in EU Member States’ Migration Infrastructures”, mapped labour market needs and analysed the national migration systems of all 27 member states between early 2023 and early 2024. After an initial presentation in late November during the annual conference of the Labour Migration Practitioners’ Network, ICMPD makes available a mapping of labour migration pathways across the EU countries.

In December 2024, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) reached a significant milestone with the successful conclusion of the Modernising the Nigeria Immigration Service Workforce (MoNIS) Project. Supported by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the Government of Denmark, this initiative has redefined standards for institutional efficiency, inclusivity, and innovation within the NIS.

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) has released its annual forecast of the 10 migration issues that can shape international migration in 2025. For the first time in years, irregular migration and asylum figures in Europe have decoupled from global trends on displacement. Much suggests that this trend is the result of more restrictive migration policies globally, but it is still too early to speak of a sustainable development. The downward trend, however, will reinforce political debates in Europe that primarily focus on control, externalisation and return. 

ICMPD has opened a new Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KR-I). The MRC promotes safe and regular migration processes for prospective migrants, combat trafficking and people-smuggling through raising awareness, pre-departure counselling for emigrants, post-arrival briefings to migrant workers, and re-integration support for returnees and internally displaced populations.

High-level representatives from 45 partner countries and international organisations met in Portugal on 29-30 January 2025 to culminate the country’s Chairmanship of the Rabat Process, and hand the Chairmanship over to Nigeria for 2025. Portugal is the second country to chair the Dialogue since the adoption of the current multi-annual strategic framework, the Cadiz Action Plan 2023-2027.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan has reported a 16% increase in the prevention of irregular migration attempts from the country in 2024, based on new border management systems developed with the support of ICMPD and international donors.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most displaced persons seeking protection in Europe initially expected to stay only temporarily. As the war persisted however, many reconsidered their plans and adapted to prolonged displacement.

The Government of Pakistan, through the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (MOPHRD), has formally launched the Sustainable Reintegration of Returnees and Improved Migration Management project, known as R&R Pakistan.

Emerging human trafficking trends and countering terrorism in the Southeast Europe region need a proactive and more effective response. Against this backdrop, the Brdo Process endorsed its Strategy 2025-2029 of the Network of Anti-Trafficking Coordinators in South-Eastern Europe (NATC-SEE), reflecting the changing nature of human trafficking in the region and the complexities introduced by new technologies, migration patterns, and socio-economic factors.

ICMPD has opened the second Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Baghdad, in collaboration with the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displaced (MoMD). The new MRC expands the efforts to promote safe and regular migration processes for prospective migrants, combat trafficking and people-smuggling through information, pre-departure counselling and post-arrival briefings for migrant workers, and re-integration support for returnees and internally displaced populations.

Ministers and representatives from 40 countries¹ along with the African Union, the European Union and international organisations², jointly agreed on implementing the Cairo Action Plan. The plan includes addressing irregular migration, promoting skills mobility and pathways for regular migration, protecting refugees and displaced persons, fight against migrant smuggling and human trafficking, and safe, timely, dignified and effective return.

An integrated border management (IBM) strategy remains top priority for the Iraqi government, in tackling human trafficking and irregular migration, and strengthening border security. This was the focus of the discussions in Iraq between ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger and Dr Ali Al-Yasery, Director General of Iraq’s National Joint Planning Centre.

Marking World Refugee Day and ten years since the so-called 2015 refugee crisis, ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger reflected on Europe’s migration journey — a decade marked by real progress towards refugee integration, yet strained by the continued inflow and growing political tensions.

ICMPD convened government counterparts of its Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) to advance cooperation and coordinated responses to emerging migration trends and challenges; including legal migration pathways, reducing irregular migration, and supporting the integration of returnees. At the meetings, the European Union called on participating governments to ensure long-term sustainability for their MRCs, in the service of migrants and returnees.

Former Austrian Minister for Women, Family, Integration and Media will take office at ICMPD as of 1 January 2026

ICMPD successfully hosted the 12th International Summer School on Migration on 29 June-4 July 2025 in Armenia.

The 4th EU Global Diaspora Facility’s Future Forum brought diaspora organisations together with public institutions and policymakers from four continents to share practices and explore how inclusive partnerships make diaspora contributions to development in countries of origin more effective and sustainable.

ICMPD is advancing the operational practices and legal safeguards for migrants and asylum seekers crossing Moldova’s borders. Working with the country’s Border Police and the Ombudsman Office, ICMPD hosted a workshop and consultations focused on human rights at the border, including entry and exit, data protection, and asylum safeguards.