News

The SUPPORT PMM Project held nine training sessions on Outreach and Community Engagement for Upscaling Türkiye’s National Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (NAVRR) Mechanism in Ankara, between 12-22 December 2022.

The creation of sophisticated encryption tools is closely connected to the efforts of the armed forces and state authorities to conceal their communications and strategic documents, which are important for the functioning of the state, security system and protection of citizens. Special encryption tools are also employed in the private sector, helping to protect corporate know-how from economic espionage. However, Cryptography in the hands of criminal entities makes it more difficult for law enforcement and border authorities to detect, document and investigate serious crime related to smuggling and trafficking in human beings. 

On 22 February 2023, the EU Support to Strengthening IBM in Ukraine (EU4IBM) project trained State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) officers on the use of mobile mini-scanners for the inspection of light vehicles in order to prevent smuggling of illicit objects, including small arms and drugs. 12 scanners for non-destructive inspection, worth EUR 420,000, were procured, and delivered to Ukraine a week earlier.

As of 24 February, the State Customs Service of Ukraine officials received an unlimited access to the functionality of the analytical and legal system “ZakonOnline”, and can also work fulltime with the analytical system on compliance, market analysis, business intelligence and investigations "YouControl". This was made possible in the framework of the "EU Support in Strengthening IBM in Ukraine –Resilience (“EU4IBM - Resilience") project funded by the European Union.

On 20-23 February, the SCOP project organised a study visit on migration and digitalisation for the representatives of the Inspectorate General for Migration (IGM) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova, in Tallinn, Estonia.

In October 2022, ICMPD launched the new project titled Resilience, Reinforcement and Recovery of Ukrainian Migration and Consular Services (RRR MFA/SMS) to support the State Migration Service as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to protect and provide state services and assistance to the citizens of Ukraine fleeing the war. The project prioritises actions in the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland, the three countries currently hosting the majority of Ukrainian nationals under temporary protection. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is currently under preparation and awaiting signature.

On 14 and 15 February 2023, the Inspire project team held three information sessions in Tirana, Albania as a follow-up to their bilateral exchanges with ICT and Construction companies in November 2021.

The EU could see an influx of up to four million more Ukrainians in 2023, and Russia will seek to further weaponise migration from North Africa and the Middle East. These are just two of the forecasts made in the latest Migration Outlook report 2023 from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

Georgia’s Diaspora Awards is a high-level event aimed at the recognition of achievements of the prominent professionals of Georgian origin who have contributed to the promotion of Georgia’s positive image abroad. The event is organised in Georgia annually by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia in cooperation with ICMPD. 

On 19 January 2023, the ICMPD office in Armenia summarised the result of the first two Calls of EU4IMPACT project. The event was welcomed by Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador, H.E. Mrs. Andrea Wiktorin, ICMPD Regional Portfolio Manage MS Violeta Wagner,  High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Head of Return and Reintegration Unit from Migration and Citizenship Service and Executive Director of IRIS BI foundation.

On 7–10 March 2023, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the ICMPD Anti-Trafficking Programme held a validation workshop on the newly developed Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) of the National referral mechanism for victims of trafficking.

On 14-16 March, a workshop on protecting personal data in migration area with a  focus on information and communication technologies was organised for the representatives of the Inspectorate General for Migration (IGM) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova.

On 16 March, 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 rendering psychological services to the residents of the two temporary accommodation centres managed by the Inspectorate-General for Migration. The workshop gathered representatives of relevant public authorities, NGOs, project partners, ICMPD expert and project team.

On 6-8 March 2023, ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger visited Türkiye, where he met Mr. Süleyman Soylu, Minister of Interior, Mr. Savaş Ünlü, the President of the Presidency of Migration Management and other high-level officials. The aim of the visit was to express ICMPD’s condolences following the catastrophe and its commitment to support Turkish authorities in the relief efforts in the affected regions, as well as to exchange updates and ideas for mid and long term support efforts.

On 19-21 June 2023, the MOBILAZE 2 project organised a study visit on migration policy sectors - management and implementation - for a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Population and State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tallinn, Estonia.  The purpose of the study visit was to further strengthen the capacities of relevant Azerbaijani state institutions in the area of migration management to learn about the Estonian experience in migration policies development and implementation including migration procedures and residence regulations, visa policy, integration policies, digitalisation, e-residencies, Start-up visas, etc.

On 9 June, a training on human rights pertaining to forced return operations has been delivered to relevant actors in Moldova. The training was organised by ICMPD, in partnership with the Moldovan Ombudsman Office, within the framework of the project “Capacity for a Rights-Based Reception System for Moldova” (CareFor).

On 6 July, ICMPD organised a workshop with Moldovan stakeholders as part of the project “Capacity for a Rights-Based Reception System for Moldova” (CareFor) to update the national migration data indicators’ framework. The data indicators on migration and asylum require adjustment to European standards, especially after Moldova recently gained the candidate status and became an observer to the European Migration Network.

On 4 July 2023, Türkiye and ICMPD organised a high-level event titled "Migratory flows and regional challenges - Türkiye's way forward on migration" in Brussels. The European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, delivered a keynote speech. The President of Türkiye's Presidency of Migration Management, Savaş Ünlü, Deputy Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission, Johannes Luchner and ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger participated in the panel moderated by ICMPD's Brussels Mission Director Ralph Genetzke.

The NAVRR Project, implemented by ICMPD, recently conducted a study visit to Tashkent Uzbekistan, between the dates of 19-20 June 2023 to establish and strengthen migration dialogues between Türkiye and Uzbekistan on the axis of return and reintegration within the framework of Türkiye's National Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (NAVRR) Mechanism.  

From 3-7 July 2023, ICMPD and the African Union Commission (AUC) organised a “Training of Trainers” (ToT) in Nairobi, Kenya, with participants from across the African continent to be certified as trainers for the AU Migration Governance Training Programme.

Between the 27^th and 29^th of June 2023, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organized a study visit for representatives of Polish local authorities and project partners to the Netherlands.

Diaspora engagement is one of the core components of the RRR-MFA/SMS UA project. Ukraine has a well-organised diaspora, actively engaged and motivated, with a high level of participation. Therefore, the project considers close cooperation and collaboration with prominent Ukrainian diaspora organisations as an integral part of the programme and supported several recent events carried out precisely for diaspora empowerment.

On 22 – 25 May 2023, ICMPD organised a training for Libyan officials on assisting citizens abroad during times of crisis. The training was conducted within the framework of the EU- and Swiss co-funded Libya’s Migration Technical Assistance Facility (LIBMITAF) project.