The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) hosts its annual Vienna Migration Conference (VMC) on 22-23 October 2024. This year’s discussions take place during a pivotal election year and will feature diverse topics that are set to shape the European migration agenda. These include strategies for safer routes, handling irregular arrivals, and labour migration. The public sentiment on migration in light of socio-economic and geopolitical volatility, and ways forward to implement the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, will also be prominently discussed.

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Migration, and Employment (MOLMEP) in Tajikistan, has launched the Migration Media Awards 2024 to commemorate International Migrants Day on December 18. The awards aim to evaluate the objectivity and ethical standards of media coverage on migration in Tajikistan, highlighting works published between July 1, 2022, and September 30, 2024.

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.

ICMPD hosted the handover ceremonies for the next phase of the SCOP 3.1 project, in support of Moldova’s border management sector. Safety and surveillance equipment and transport facilities were formally turned over to national authorities, intended for border monitoring and coordination, preventing cross-border crime, and enhancing the operational capacity of the Border Police.

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.

As part of the European Union’s ongoing efforts towards improved reporting on migration issues and migrant safety and welfare, ICMPD hosted trainings for Iraqi journalists.