This year’s Senior Officials’ Meeting held in Chisinau on 24-25 September 2024 marked the 15th anniversary of the Prague Process. Bringing together representatives from 26 participating states, the European Commission, European Agency for Asylum, IOM, UNHCR, ICMPD and Joint Coordination Platform, the meeting allowed to jointly reflect on the achievements reached to date and the priorities and lessons learned for the future.
The Senior Officials’ Meeting underscored the enduring significance of the Prague Process as a targeted intergovernmental migration and policy dialogue, enabling states to navigate evolving migration dynamics through cooperative and forward-looking strategies.
Mr. Adrian Efros, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, commended the Prague Process as an effective platform that has proven its usefulness through a wide array of projects and migration aspects covered. The Prague Process has represented a strategic platform for sharing challenges and best practices while promoting safe borders and migrants’ rights. It has also proven steadfast in times of crises. Minister Efros emphasised the need to consolidate the joint efforts and enhance the resilience of the participating states due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Mr. Arnoldas Abramavičius, Vice-Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, underlined that the maturity of the Prague Process as an interactive forum for continuous learning among its members. The increasing importance of international partnerships has also become evident in the context of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. Simultaneously, migration has been overshadowed by security concerns as exemplified by the instrumentalisation of migration by the Russian Federation and Belarus, which have become a threat to Europe as a whole. The Prague Process and its member states thus need to adjust through strengthened cooperation and coordination. The recent synergies with the European Migration Network (EMN) have proven to be a step in the right direction.
ICMPD Director General Mr. Michael Spindelegger expressed the hope that the referendum in October and the presidential elections will confirm Moldova’s course towards the European Union.
I think that the Joint Declaration between Moldova, the Czech Republic and ICMPD on cooperation in Integrated Border Management, that we will sign tomorrow, is an expression of this need and the important role that we all see in this cooperation. But it is also an expression of the contribution that a migration dialogue like the Prague Process can make to developing such very concrete partnerships.Michael Spindelegger, ICMPD Director General
Director General Spindelegger held bilateral meetings with Minister Efros, Vice-Minister Abramavičius, Albanian Deputy Minister, Andi Mahila, First Deputy Chairwoman of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, Iryna Kovalevska, and Vice Executive Director of EUAA, Mikael Filip Ribbenvik Cassar.
The senior officials shared their priority needs and discussed the current state of play in migration policy, as well as the important role of intergovernmental cooperation. Most delegates highlighted the concrete benefits provided by the Prague Process over the past 15 years and expressed their further commitment to it. Particular attention was then given to the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
The meeting also addressed the current implementation of the Action Plan 2023-2027. The insights shared within the four Thematic Components and manifold outputs of the Migration Observatory and Training Academy highlighted the importance of practical collaboration and knowledge exchange, ensuring that all partners can benefit from shared experiences and innovative approaches.
