News

On 7 – 9 November 2022, ICMPD organised workshops with the Libyan authorities focused on strengthening the management of consular crises abroad as well as improving communication and outreach to Libyans living abroad within the framework of the EU- and Swiss co-funded LIBMITAF project.

The 5^th International Border Management Conference took place in Amman, Jordan, on 23 and 24 November 2022. The Conference was organised by ICMPD under the Patronage of the Minister of Interior of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, H.E. Mazin Abdellah Al Farrayeh.

On 2 December 2022, the 31 member organisations of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT), have issued a Call to Action urging countries, in the context of increasing crises, to put in place effective responses and increase cooperation to combat this crime.

The Inspire project team met with representatives of the German, French and local companies in Albania, Georgia, Ghana and Kenya throughout November-December 2022. This activity follows a stakeholder mapping exercise carried out in the four countries of origin to identify employers in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, construction and ICT sectors that may be encouraged to participate in skills partnerships.

An event dedicated to December 18, International Migrants Day, on the topic of “Migrants in Azerbaijan: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion was jointly organised by ICMPD Azerbaijan and the State Migration Service in Azerbaijan. The event brought together up to 200 employees of the State Migration Service, ICMPD Head of Region EECA and ICMPD Azerbaijan representatives, high-level representatives of international organizations, government institutions, civil society institutes operating in the migration field, the private sector, diplomatic corps members, as well as migrants.

On 20 December, ICMPD organised a workshop for Moldovan stakeholders as part of the project “Capacity for a Rights-Based Reception System for Moldova” (CareFor) to exchange experience on risk analysis, especially in light of the country's current state of emergency. The workshop gathered representatives of various public authorities, project partners, ICMPD expert and project team.

The Strengthening Border Security in Ghana (SBS Ghana) Project in collaboration with Expertise France and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) organised a six-day Joint Training for Border Management and Law Enforcement Agencies in Tamale from Nov 28 – Dec 3.

The European Union in Ghana within the framework of the SBS Ghana project has donated five motor bikes and other security equipment to the Ghana Immigration Service to fight human trafficking and strengthen security surveillance at Ghana's borders. This will support GIS in its effort to ensure greater security for citizens and visitors, while guaranteeing the respect for the rule of law and human rights standards by border management authorities.

On 13-14 December 2022, the 6^th Ministerial Conference of the Euro-African Dialogue on Migration and Development (Rabat Process) took place in Cadiz, hosted by the Kingdom of Spain, which resulted in the adoption of the Political Declaration and Cadiz Action Plan 2023-2027.

This year ICMPD’s Anti-Trafficking Programme (ATP) is celebrating its 20 year’s anniversary. The Programme took the opportunity to mark the occasion by reflecting on its history, milestones in its development and flagship initiatives.

On 5 December, the joint EU-ICMPD MIgration EU eXpertise Initiative (MIEUX+) released format the second annual report of the current phase launched in April 2020, as a video. The video covers the period between April 2021 and May 2022, providing highlights of several ongoing projects in Benin, Brazil, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Mauritius as well mentioning new projects, publications and engagement efforts with its 1,000-strong community of international migration practitioners.

9 months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a joint ICMPD-IGC initiative examines what comes next for persons under temporary protection schemes. Between December 2022 and March 2023, a series of consultations will enable receiving countries to share their insights and plans, while ICMPD and IGC will identify lessons learned and policy options for the road ahead.

On 30 November 2022, the kick-off conference of the "Supporting the Institutional Capacity of the National Coordination and Joint Risk Analysis Centre (NACORAC)" Project was held in Ankara with high level participation. The project is implemented by ICMPD’s Western Balkans and Türkiye Regional Office and funded by the European Union.

A milestone event was held in Beirut to celebrate the completion of 10 years of Integrated Border Management in Lebanon.

The lack of a permanent physician has been a pressing issue at the Chisinau Migrants Accommodation Centre in the last few years. Thanks to the CareFor project, the Centre’s residents now benefit from primary medical attention.

On a three-day mission to Türkiye, from 29 November – 01 December, ICMPD’s Director General, Michael Spindelegger met with the Minister of Interior and the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Türkiye as well as numerous high-ranking representatives. He participated in NACORAC project’s kick-off conference as well as in the Budapest Annual Process Senior Officials Meeting.

On 23 to 27 January 2023 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, in close collaboration with the EU-funded STREAMinG project held the Coordination Meeting of Consular Officers of Georgia Abroad. The event was aimed at gathering consular officers assigned in various countries of the world in order to insure improvement of delivery of services and overall protection of human rights of Georgian citizens abroad.

The unprecedented influx of displaced people from the neighbouring Ukraine boosted the need for enhanced integration capacity in Moldova. With the support of the CareFor project, a dedicated IT module on foreigners’ integration has been developed.

2023 set off as a year of reforms in the area of migration. With the support of the CareFor project, the newly established Inspectorate-General for Migration initiated the revision of the legislative framework pertaining to migrants’ custody, among others.

On 7 February 2023, a meeting to kick off the Civil Society Facility on Migration (CSO facility) was organised, in the framework of the STREAMinG project. The CSO Facility foresees bettering the engagement of Civil Society Organisations in Migration Policy Dialogue and Policy Implementation, as well as strengthening CSO capacities through the financial support of the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). 

In the framework of the EU-funded “Support to the Implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan (MOBILAZE 2)" implemented by International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), ICMPD and State Migration Service (SMS), is announcing an Integration Programme for migrants and refugees living in Azerbaijan.

On 8 December 2022 in Warsaw, Poland, ICMPD in collaboration with the Polish Migration Forum Foundation (PFM), and the Association for Legal Intervention (SIP), organised the first international seminar as part of the ICMPD-led project “Comprehensive Support for People in a Vulnerable Situation in the Polish Migration Management System (KOMPLEKS).”

During the week of 11-18 November 2022, an assessment mission took place in Chisinau, Moldova within the framework of the ICMPD’s “Support to the Complex Improvement of Migration and Border Management in Moldova (SCOP)” project under its Component 1, funded by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) of Germany. ICMPD Project Manager and the group of experts tasked with the assessment of HR management with regard to business processes at the Bureau of Migration and Asylum (BMA) of Moldova conducted a series of coordinated field activities, including organisation of workshops and meetings with key stakeholders in the country.

On 23-27 January 2023, the MOBILAZE 2 project organised a study visit on migration policy sectors – development and implementation for the Azerbaijani delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population and State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan and ICMPD in Azerbaijan in Stockholm, the Kingdom of Sweden.  The purpose of the visit was mainly focused on increasing the capacities of the Azerbaijani state institutions to introduce and practically adopt all relevant steps of the migration policy cycle, based on the relevant experience of the EU MSs, in particular, to learn about the Swedish experience in migration policies development and implementation.

On 21 December 2022 in Vienna, Mr. Lukas Gehrke, the ICMPD Deputy Director General, and Director for Policy Research and Strategy, and H.E. Mr. Levent Eler, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Türkiye to the UNOV and other International Organizations in Vienna, signed a Seat Agreement between ICMPD and the Republic of Türkiye. The Seat Agreement marks a milestone in the already strong, longstanding cooperation between ICMPD and Türkiye which has further intensified after Türkiye became an ICMPD Member State in 2018.