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On 11 February 2025, a two-day training on Irregular Migration, Migrant Smuggling, and Human Trafficking was successfully conducted in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, implemented under the NORAQ cooperation framework. This capacity-building initiative was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in the scope of projects “Migration Awareness, Access to Reintegration, and Strengthening Capacities in Iraq (MAARC)” and “Sweden-Iraq Cooperation on Migration Governance (SICOM)”.

On the occasion of the Kingdom of Sweden taking on the Chairmanship of International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Steering Group for 2025, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner outlined the EU’s migration priorities such as improving return policies, promoting labour mobility, and combatting migrant smuggling. Mr Brunner also called for a “flexible, responsive and pragmatic” approach, and commended ICMPD’s work along key migratory routes, and its multi-dimensional way of thinking.

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.

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.

High-level delegates from Bangladesh, Iraq and Pakistan, along with Türkiye and Hungary, and the European Commission, are strengthening efforts for sustainable reintegration for returning migrants in the Silk Routes region. At the Thematic Working Group of Budapest Process countries last week, delegates and representatives called for reintegration efforts to be embedded in broader national development frameworks, and that these must target the structural and community-level drivers of migration that often reflect the challenges returnees face on their return.

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.

From 29 April to 2 May 2025, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) held meetings with representatives of the Georgian diaspora in Rome, Italy. The discussions took place under the EU-funded STREAMinG Phase 2 project. The aim was to strengthen the capacities of Georgian diaspora organisations in the areas of reintegration, investment opportunities, and legal frameworks in both Italy and Georgia, with a special focus on women’s empowerment.

An impact-driven initiative in Ogun State, Nigeria, is placing local school communities at the forefront of efforts to combat human trafficking—a pressing threat to children across the country. The School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), funded by the Government of the Netherlands and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), is positioning School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) as key agents of change in the fight against trafficking.

A new initiative is equipping secondary schools across Ogun, Benue, Enugu, Delta, and Edo states to take an active role in preventing human trafficking. Through the School Anti-Trafficking Education and Advocacy Project (STEAP), in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), young leaders are being trained to raise awareness, educate peers and strengthen resilience within their schools and communities.

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.

Only days after Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union activated the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD). It effectively provided more than four million displaced Ukrainians protection from the war; legal rights to stay, work, and benefit from social services; as well as support for integration. As its name suggests however, it was always meant to be temporary.

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.

ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger met with Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan, and Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy to discuss strengthening work together on the country’s migration priorities. On 14-15 May 2025, Mr Spindelegger and Deputy Director General Sedef Dearing were joined by senior ICMPD staff as part of their first official visit to Dublin, following Ireland’s accession as ICMPD Member State last year.

ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger and Deputy Director General Sedef Dearing met with His Excellency Rachid Meddah, Director General of Migration Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria on 17 June 2025.

ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger met with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Innovation and Growth, His Excellency Tomislav Donchev on 24 June 2025.

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

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.

Two high-level side events held in Addis Ababa highlight African-led efforts to operationalise migration frameworks and promote regional integration.

The Network of Anti-Trafficking Coordinators of South-East Europe (NATC-SEE)¹ gathered to develop and exchange solutions on human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and labour exploitation including of foreign nationals in the region. At the meeting in Sarajevo on 13-14 November 2025, members of the network provided updates on their recent and upcoming regional collaborations to support victims of human trafficking; as well as case studies on identifying and prosecuting trafficking cases.

Director General elect Susanne Raab stressed the need for genuine alternatives for migrants to ensure access to legal pathways, to protect them from human traffickers and migrant smugglers. Ms Raab emphasised this at the second International Conference of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling in Brussels on 10 December; which opened with a Keynote Speech by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Three regional migration Dialogues are further strengthening the responses to human trafficking and migrant smuggling across African and European routes. The Khartoum, Rabat, and Niamey Processes marked an important milestone in interregional cooperation to enhance policies and cooperation to align with realities on the ground, ensuring that responses to these crimes remain fit for purpose.

Susanne Raab joins the International Centre for Migration Policy Development as Director General, effective 1 January 2026.

ICMPD Director General Susanne Raab met with HE Minister of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Mr Rebar Ahmad, to sign a Cooperation Agreement in strengthening strategic engagement in the areas of migration management, reintegration, and capacity building.

The fraudulent use of identity and travel documents can facilitate transnational criminal activities, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling – particularly when people move across borders undetected. This has been endemic and poses a persistent threat to regional security across West Africa.

European Union and international partners, government representatives, civil society organisations, gathered in Dushanbe in December for a high-level briefing to strengthen long-term reintegration support systems for returning migrants in Tajikistan. Discussions centred on the multifaceted reintegration landscape in Tajikistan, highlighting the need for more coherent, predictable, and sustainable support for returning Tajik nationals.