News

This year constitutes the Prague Process’ 15th anniversary and thereby an opportunity to reflect upon the origins and evolution of the Process since its establishment in 2009.

The Annual Report takes stock of the milestones, opportunities and challenges in the past year, along with recurring issues that have surfaced to reshape the migration discourse.

On 16th April, ICMPD organised together with the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences a workshop in Warsaw dedicated to enhancing human rights monitoring in the context of forced returns. The workshop took place within the framework of the Horizon Europe project “Finding Agreement in Return” (FAiR) which assesses the legitimacy and effectiveness of the EU’s return policies.

ICMPD recently published the Second Edition of the Legal Guide for Foreigners in Libya to provide interested parties with up-to-date information on migration legislation in the State of Libya. 

On 15-17 April 2024, a delegation from Georgia, comprising representatives from state institutions and startup associations, embarked on a productive visit to Belgium to foster innovative approaches to mobility and entrepreneurship. The mission aimed to explore circular migration possibilities between the two nations, with a particular emphasis on facilitating entrepreneurial ventures.

On 17 April 2024, ICMPD’s Director General, Michael Spindelegger, participated in the 27th European Police Congress in Berlin, Germany. The congress provides an international platform for political and police decision-makers to convene and foster dialogue. During this year’s event, experts from 20 different nations participated in around 30 forums, discussing relevant developments in the field. 

The ICMPD team from the Regional Office Silk Routes visited Baghdad for a round of high-level bilateral meetings and events. On 15 April, a meeting was held with the Ministry of Interior, one of the key partners for ICMPD in Iraq, focusing on enhancing the ongoing cooperation, particularly within the framework of border management initiatives.

On 14-15 April 2024, a workshop on International Cooperation was convened in collaboration with the European Union Advisory Mission to Iraq (EUAM-I) and the National Security Advisory of Iraq within the framework of Iraq's National Integrated Border Management (IBM) Strategy in Baghdad. 

On 21-22 March 2024, a hybrid event was organised offering a platform for stakeholders’ cooperation and exchange, including representatives from the public and private sectors to foster trust and understanding of entrepreneurial mobility as a safe channel for temporary migration with a focus on start-ups and entrepreneurs in both Georgia and Belgium. 

From 7-13 July 2024 the 11th International Summer School on Migration will take place in Georgia. The ICMPD Summer School is a collaborative effort among the EU-funded projects “Implementing the Mobility Partnership in Azerbaijan” (MOBILAZE 2), “Strengthening Development Impact of Migration in Georgia” (STREAMinG 2), and the Prague Process, with all three initiatives led by ICMPD.

On 25-27 March, 2024, a training on migration issues took place in a collaborative effort between the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GiZ). The event, held within the framework of the EU-funded STREAMinG Phase 2 project, aimed to strengthen the knowledge of the members of the Network of Civil Society for Migration (NCSM) on critical migration issues in Georgia.

The MIgration EU eXpertise Initiative started operations in 2009 and ran until April 2024. During its fifteen-year lifecycle, new challenges and pressing responsibilities in terms of migration management and governance pushed partner countries across Asia, Africa, the European Neighbourhood and Latin America and the Caribbean to look for practical and adaptable solutions. 

As the EU approaches elections that will determine its next leadership and migration policy direction, ICMPD is developing strategic recommendations for the next five years. In this endeavour, ICMPD is engaging with stakeholders across Europe to discuss the progress made during the current Commission and where advances remain to be achieved. Their perspectives will help shape ICMPD’s policy advice on the direction of EU migration policy at this critical juncture.

On 07 March 2024, the ENHANCER Business Networking Event was organised in coordination with the Directorate General of Development Agencies within the Ministry of Industry and Technology in Kayseri. Co-hosted by the Kayseri Chamber of Commerce, the event succeeded in hosting 174 Turkish and Syrian existing and potential entrepreneurs from Kayseri.

On 12 March 2024, the closing event for the joint EU-ICMPD MIgration EU eXpertise (MIEUX) Initiative took place in Brussels. The event convened around 100 participants in representation of the wide variety of migration experts and partner institutions that MIEUX has brought together during its 15-year tenure.