Online, 4 October 2024 – In a significant step towards enhancing migration research and cooperation between Europe and Africa, the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) held a joint workshop within the framework of the Continent-to-Continent Migration and Mobility Dialogue (C2CMMD), which is implemented as part of the wider EU-funded MMD Support Programme. Hosted by the European External Action Service, the event brought together representatives from different EU and AU institutions and services to explore the potential for collaboration on migration research. Hindsight, insights and foresight were the three key words of the workshop.
The workshop underscored the importance of data gathering and evidence-informed policymaking touching upon critical issues, including the impact of climate change on migration, migration governance, the need to expand legal pathways. The discussions focused on ongoing research efforts, including the Joint Research Centre’s Atlas of Migration and its role in providing harmonised migration data for 198 countries including most African and European ones. Participants emphasised the need for better data collection, taking into account both the quantitative and the qualitative dimension, particularly on the structural drivers of migration in the context of cross-border migration.
The workshop was co-moderated by the co-chairs of the C2CMMD – Asad BEG (European External Action Service) and Dr Sabelo MBOKAZI (African Union Commission) – and benefited from the inputs of attendees as well as focal points from the African Union Commission, the African Institute for Remittances, the African Migration Observatory, the Continental Operational Centre for Combating Irregular Migration and the EU Delegations in Addis Ababa, Bamako, and Khartoum, as well as focal points from the various Directorate-Generals of the European Commission.
A central theme of the workshop was the need for long-term partnerships, with both EU and AU representatives advocating for greater involvement of African universities and research institutions, as well as civil society organisations and local non-governmental organisations, in migration research and debate. Focusing on migration trends within the African continent, and those between Africa and Europe, strengthened collaboration would have the potential to support the development of targeted policies that address migration challenges.
Participants agreed on the importance of aligning research efforts with policy needs, ensuring that both migration and cross-cutting topics such as climate change and health are tackled comprehensively, as well as ensuring the contextualisation of research to the local and regional levels and the sustainability of solutions resulting therefrom. The outcomes of the workshop will feed into future collaborative efforts, including research on migration dynamics in Africa and data-sharing between regions. Additional tailored exchanges, for example on data collection and validation or other thematic foci, will be explored.
The meeting was an important step in fostering closer cooperation between the EU and AU on migration issues, with a shared commitment to use research and data as a basis for sustainable migration governance. The discussion provided some solid input for the C2CMMD Senior Officials’ Meeting on 18 October 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal.