News

2022 was defined by a new chapter of interstate war in Europe – with far-reaching consequences for Ukraine itself as well as neighbouring countries and even those on the other side of the globe. The war has shaped, and will continue to shape, ICMPD’s work and support to Member States and partners. 

Michael Spindelegger, Director General of ICMPD, on the war in Ukraine and its consequences for neighbouring countries, the European Union and the present and future of ICMPD.

On 3 April, a roundtable discussion gathered representatives of the Inspectorate General for Migration (IGM) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova together with SCOP project team and experts working on the analysis of the status quo at IGM and in the area of migration management.

On 18 April, ICMPD and GIZ signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim to further deepen their partnership, engage in innovative joint initiatives, mutual learning, evidence-based programming and policy-making.

On 14 April 2023, ten canine teams of the State Customs Service of Ukraine successfully completed a two-week specialized training that was provided by the "EU Support in Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine – Resilience”, the European Union-funded project.

The NAVRR Project implemented by ICMPD held the training on Monitoring and Evaluation to further strengthen Türkiye’s National Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (NAVRR) Mechanism in Ankara between the dates of 27-28 March 2023.

Between the 7^th and 9^th of March 2023, under the scope of the KOMPLEKS project, ICMPD organized a study visit for representatives of Polish local authorities and project partners to the Czech Republic.

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 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 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 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 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.

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 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.