News

On 3-4 June 2026, the European Union Migration and Displacement Capacity Assistance Project (EU-MIDCAP) launched its Colombia Action in Medellín, in partnership with the Secretariat for Social Inclusion and Family of the District of Medellín. The activity marked the start of EU-MIDCAP support to the District in strengthening the monitoring and evaluation framework of Medellín’s Public Policy on Migration Management. 

Long before there were Migrant Resource Centres (MRC) — before the counselling sessions, community outreach campaigns, and the networks reaching thousands of people across regions — a simple observation emerged from a Budapest Process meeting in Pakistan: “Too many people were making life-changing migration decisions, with too little or no reliable information,” says Sedef Dearing, now Deputy Director General at ICMPD.

The Migration Partnership Facility (MPF), programme financed by the European Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), launches three new Calls for Proposals, opening new funding opportunities for cooperation between European Union Member States and priority partner countries in three areas of migration management.  

The Government of Iraq, with support from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, opened yesterday the fourth Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Iraq in Basra, to strengthen migration governance in Iraq by providing potential migrants, returnees and their families with access to reliable information, counselling and referral services. Implemented by ICMPD, the MRC will also promote safe and legal migration, and raise awareness on the risks of irregular migration and threats of human trafficking. 

On 9 July 2026, the Migration Resource Centre (MRC) hosted the latest edition of its “Yak Piyola Choy with Media” event, bringing together media representatives and migration stakeholders to strengthen cooperation on promoting safe and regular migration. The event also marked the 10th anniversary of the MRC network.

Earlier this year an Eritrean was convicted to serve 20 years in prison for smuggling migrants into the Netherlands, while his accomplice was extradited from the United Arab Emirates to face criminal charges in a Dutch court. Along with co-conspirators, they were charged with inflicting abuse and exploiting migrants in the Mediterranean, before smuggling them across treacherous waters into Europe. 

When the first Migrant Resource Centre opened in Pakistan, Syed Umer Wazir Shah was one of its first Counsellors. Ten years on, he helps oversee a network of MRCs across Pakistan and into regional initiatives in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.   

The Government of Sri Lanka and ICMPD along with national media organisations, gathered today to strengthen cooperation towards safe, regular and orderly migration. The meeting in Colombo sought to promote accurate, ethical and solution-oriented reporting to help the public with better-informed migration decisions. Through the Migrant Information Centre, the meeting brought together over 30 officials and representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE); as well as media professionals.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), and ICMPD through the Migrant Information Centre (MIC), convened today government institutions and recruitment agencies to advance safe, fair and ethical labour migration recruitment. Participating stakeholders discussed transparency, compliance, and practical cooperation to protect Sri Lankan migrant workers and job seekers.

ICMPD joined the Sri Lanka government in hosting the Conference on Combatting and Addressing Trafficking of Human Beings today, renewing commitment to prevention, victim protection, and coordinated action. To commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, more than 80 representatives of government, law enforcement and protection authorities, National Anti-Trafficking Task Force, and High Commissions and Embassies joined civil society, academia, development partners, international organisations, media, and survivor-support organisations.

ICMPD commemorated the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in Pakistan, joining national institutions, UN and international organisations, civil society, and the diplomatic community in committing to a victim-centred, whole-of-route response to the evolving forms of human trafficking.

Like anywhere else, migration in Uzbekistan is not an abstract issue. It is a reality that affects families, individuals and communities, while also playing a vital role in the country’s labour market and economy. This is why, when we talk about protecting migrants, we must also address the risks associated with irregular migration, labour exploitation, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking. These, too, are not abstract issues.

Ghana is quietly rebuilding two systems that decide whether people are recognised by the state: a child's birth record, and the protection owed to a refugee. Under two new Demand-Driven Facility actions implemented by FMM West Africa Phase II, the Ghana Births and Deaths Registry and Health Service are teaming up to close a registration gap that still leaves about one in four children under five without an official record. Meanwhile, the Ghana Refugee Board is turning a hard look at its own gaps into a plan for reform.

For people considering employment abroad, a job offer can represent an important opportunity for themselves and their families. But when recruitment information is inaccurate or fraudulent, acting on an offer without verification can result in financial loss and expose prospective migrants to further risks.

The Migrant Resource Centre in Baghdad, along with Iraq’s Ministry of Migration and Displacement  and the Ministry of Interior, highlighted the experiences and challenges of victims of human trafficking and the importance of access to accurate information to protect their rights and safety.

On 19-23 July 2026, the European Union Migration and Displacement Capacity Assistance Project (EU-MIDCAP) launched its Bangladesh Action (2026-01) in Dhaka, in partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Special Branch of the Immigration Police of Bangladesh. The activity marked the start of EU-MIDCAP support to strengthen the country’s integrated border management (IBM) capacity in line with international standards.

Safiq* left his home in Pakistan for work abroad, with the goal for upward stability in life. Like many, he made the familiar calculation that the sacrifices of distance and uncertainty would translate into something better for his family, over time. 

Migration policy discussion is often future-focused. We look to how our future will be affected by changing migration routes, labour shortages, displacement, demographic change, integration, return, border management or the political debates surrounding migration. But an equally crucial question is: who will be dealing with these challenges tomorrow?

Applications are now open for scholarships to participate in the Migration Management Diploma Programme (MMDP), a three-month capacity-building programme offered by UNU-MERIT and Maastricht University for government officials and policy practitioners working in migration and asylum.

Behind every decision to work abroad is a person with different questions, circumstances and needs. Reliable information is essential, but it is most useful when it reflects the realities people face. Access to reliable, relevant information can help people considering work abroad assess opportunities, understand potential risks, and prepare for migration. For the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Uzbekistan, working with organisations that have direct links to communities provides an additional perspective on the information and support different groups may need.

When Kyrgyzstan opened its first Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Osh in 2024, the location was a deliberate choice. The Centre was established not in the capital, but in the country’s second-largest city and the main urban centre in the south, where many prospective migrant workers begin planning their journeys abroad. It was the second MRC to open in Central Asia.

For many migrants, returning home begins with uncertainty. Some arrive after years abroad. Others return suddenly following detention, deportation, loss of employment or an unsuccessful migration journey. On arrival, they may have immediate practical needs and questions about what comes next, from contacting family and arranging onward travel to finding out what reintegration support is available.

Following the political changes in Afghanistan in 2021, thousands of young Afghan women faced disruptions to their education and uncertainty about their future. Among them were female students who had already begun international scholarship programmes supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union. Continuing their studies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, they persevered, even as uncertainty about their education and future continued to grow.

For Tajikistan citizens considering work abroad, preparation means knowing whether an employment offer is genuine, what rules apply in the destination country and where support can be found if difficulties arise. The Migrant Resource Centre in Dushanbe was established to make reliable guidance easier to access. The Ministry of Labour, Migration and Employment of the Population describes it as “an important link between citizens, government institutions and foreign labour markets”, helping people enter those markets better informed and prepared.

For migrants experiencing exploitation abroad, accessing the institutions able to provide protection can be challenging, particularly when a response requires cooperation across borders. For Adaeze*, an urgent inquiry from Nigeria to Baghdad helped establish a connection between the Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in Baghdad, Iraqi authorities and counterparts in Nigeria, supporting the response that enabled her to leave an exploitative situation and return home safely.