From 3-7 June 2024, ICMPD and the African Union Commission (AUC) organised a Simulation Training in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe with participants from the media and from CSOs to test the training on “Migration in Africa – Myths and Reality”.
The Simulation Training was an opportunity to test the three-day training course of the AU Migration Governance Training Programme “Migration in Africa – Myths and Reality”, which is intended for media practitioners and communicators at Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). The simulation training was opened by the Department of Immigration of Zimbabwe and attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zimbabwe.
Seventeen participants from different media houses and CSOs from across the continent took part. They were nominated through the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the AU, the AU Media Fellowship Programme and the Federation of African Journalists. The simulation training was organised as part of the Continent-to-Continent Migration and Mobility Dialogue (C2CMMD) under the wider EU-funded Migration and Mobility Dialogue Support Programme. It complemented a Training of Trainers that was organised in Nairobi in 2023. More specifically, three of the certified trainers were engaged to deliver training sessions during the simulation training.
The main objective of the training “Migration in Africa – Myths and Reality” is to improve the understanding of migration and migration governance on the continent, thereby shaping a more accurate and fact-based narrative on migration. The training adopts different methodologies to instill a variety of teaching and training methods while adapting to the target audience. It covers topics of migration definitions and trends, international migration law, the AU migration governance ecosystem, the benefits of migration for development, as well as principles of reporting on migration, including the consideration of emerging technologies.
During the simulation training, participants provided immediate feedback to the trainers and experts for further adaptation and finalisation of the training content and methodology and already disseminated the message in their respective media networks, such as in Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
Relatedly, within C2CMMD, a second three-day training course, “Making Migration Work for Africa”, targeted at policy-makers in national and regional governments, local authorities and diplomats is currently being finalised. Furthermore, ICMPD is supporting the AUC with the accreditation of a 5-day training course on migration governance for experts.