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All eyes were on Hungary when it constructed the first border fence on the Western Balkans route in summer 2015 in an attempt to stop migrants and refugees from entering its territory. The fence, however, did not stop the flow, it detoured the people - and so did several other fences built along both the external EU borders as well as within the Schengen area. Despite the limited effect of physically closed borders to stem the flow or solve the migration crisis, countries along the so-called ‘Western Balkans route’ keep on introducing similar measures.

With the increasing mobility of persons and goods in times of fear of terrorism and organised crime, states need to ensure the right balance between open, while at the same time secured and controlled borders. ‘Integrated Border Management’ (IBM) can combine these two objectives.

ICMPD’s Director General Michael Spindelegger went on two missions in the previous week, meeting with the Federal Councillor of Switzerland as well as the Prime Minister of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The Migrants in Countries in Crisis (MICIC) Initiative Regional Consultation for Latin America took place on 17-18 February 2016 in San José, Costa Rica. This consultation was fully funded by the European Union and organised by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in cooperation with the Government of Costa Rica.

This is the second of two articles about Turkey’s approach to migration and the most immediate challenges arising from the ‘refugee crisis’. While the first article analysed EU-Turkey relations, this blog gives and overview of the institutional set-up of migration management in Turkey.

This is the first of two articles about Turkey’s approach to migration and the most immediate challenges arising from the ‘refugee crisis’. While this article analyses EU-Turkey relations, the second part zooms into the institutional set-up of migration management in Turkey.

During his visit to Bulgaria, ICMPD's Director General Michael Spindelegger met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and spoke at the parliament.

In 2015, about 1 million migrants arrived in Europe, with more than 2000 migrants losing their lives in the process. West African migrants featured in the top 5 countries of origin, which crossed the Mediterranean to arrive in Europe.

Michael Spindelegger has taken office as the Director General of ICMPD on 1 January 2016. His goals in his new position are to further strengthen ICMPD’s role as a member-driven international organisation and as a think tank developing tools for effective migration management.

Newly-elected Director General of the Vienna-based International Centre for Migration Policy Development, Michael Spindelegger, met yesterday Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Austria / Permanent Representative to the International Organisations in Vienna, Austria, Mr. Khaled Abdel-Rahman Shamaa. The meeting, which was held at the Egyptian embassy in Vienna, tackled various key issues of relevance to ICMPD and Egypt, including the prospects of cooperation in the immediate future on several subfields of migration.

During a visit of the minister, ICMPD's new Director General presented his goal to strengthen positioning of the organisation as a platform for dialogue and mediation on migration.

During his debut visit to Brussels, the newly-appointed Director General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Michael Spindelegger, met key European decision makers including Commissioners and addressed press for the first time. He points to four issues that Europe and its partners need to address to solve the current migration crisis. Spindelegger also outlined plans for his organisation, ICMPD. 

ICMPD’s new study finds that Syrian refugees are often trafficked or exploited because they are not able to meet their basic needs. To prevent this, investment in infrastructure and humanitarian aid in the main hosting countries is essential.

A new study, the first of its kind, casts light on how the conflict in Syria is making children, women and men more vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking in persons. Often people are trafficked or exploited simply because they are not able to meet their basic needs, according to research by ICMPD, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development. To prevent this, investment in infrastructure and humanitarian aid in the main hosting countries is essential.

New ICMPD study on the impact of the Syrian war and refugee situation on trafficking in persons in the region makes recommendations on how to address vulnerability.