Ongoing and completed MIEUX+ Actions
Because of the significant effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on migration management, our partners from outside Europe have requested the support of MIEUX+ in a wide range of topics including migration and health, labour migration, environmentally induced migration and more.
Topics in vogue: labour migration and migration and health
In Central Asia, migrant workers make up a significant part of the population. In general, the migration corridor between Russia and Central Asia is relatively stable and mainly originated because of the unstable political and economic situation in the countries’ region. Integration of labour migrants into host societies is key to maximise the gains from international migration from both origin and destination countries. It also poses a couple of challenges for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who may, for instance, face limited access to healthcare or social assistance.
Because of the demand-driven nature of MIEUX+, the initiative has received requests on labour migration and integration from various regions of the world. In the EU Neighbourhood for instance, the Ukraine II Action will officially kick off early October with the first on-site mission of MIEUX+ since the beginning of the pandemic. The MIEUX+ team, partners and experts will meet in person to discuss and assess the partners’ capacity and training in terms of integration strategies and measures for refugees and people with subsidiary protection.
Following up the outreach events from earlier this year, MIEUX+ has received requests and interest from partners in Central Asia, mainly on the topic of labour migration. For instance, the Kyrgyz authorities requested support from the joint EU-ICMPD initiative to strengthen their capacities in managing external labour migration and protecting the rights of labour migrants. Not so far, in Tajikistan, joint stakeholders from governments and civil society organisations, would like to collaborate with MIEUX+ on the coordination with private recruitment agencies to ensure ethical recruitment for labour migrants.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, partners in Costa Rica have renewed their collaboration with MIEUX+ to help them with a protocol to facilitate the assistance to asylum seekers and migrants entering or transiting the country, especially during crisis times. So far, the Action has proven to be very fruitful for our partners as a couple of practices exchange sessions were organised were experts from EU Member States and from the region shared their knowledge and experience on the topic.
More related to the economic effects of COVID-19 on migration, in Eastern and Central Africa, one of the region’s common market (COMESA) has been working with the MIEUX+ team and experts since 2020 to facilitate the implementation of their COVID-19 guidelines on human mobility as well as economical trade across the COMESA Member States. A regional workshop is taking place in October, on the 19th and 20th and stay tuned for more information about the event.
Role of communications on migration management
With the recent global developments, communications have been a key process for MIEUX+ and for its partner institutions. For our ongoing Action in Brazil, the Public Defenders’ Office (DPU) is working with experts on the production of videos to inform asylum seekers on the interview process as well as their duties and obligations. These new audio-visual products will be stored on the DPU’s channels and shared with people in the process of seeking asylum in Brazil.
Similar to this project but in Central Asia, MIEUX+ will work with the Human Rights Commissioner of Kazakhstan and the NGO “Rodnik” (Centre for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation) on an information campaign to inform migrant families with their children about their rights and integration opportunities.
Completed knowledge and practices exchanges in Latin America and the Caribbean
From across the Atlantic Ocean, two Actions have been completed in the past months. In Dominican Republic, the partners from the National Institute for Migration (INM) have exchanged knowledge and experience on border management through a series of webinars. It has featured EU experts (Austria, Spain and from ICMPD) who have shared their practices with more than 100 Dominican Republican officials on how they deal with migration and border management.
Not so far, MIEUX+ organised in collaboration with the EU, international organisations (e.g. UNHCR) and civil society organisations, round-tables in the context of the MIRPS Support Platform. The exchange focused on refugee protection, reception and procedural issues in the context of large-scale movements that was presented by partners and experts from the EU and Latin America and brought together more than 80 participants, representing a variety range of stakeholders and countries.
What’s coming next: upcoming Actions and support to MIEUX+ experts
Recently MIEUX+ received new requests for demand-driven projects but also for holistic and regional projects: the two main novelties of the new phase of MIEUX+. The team is also working on a new tool on “Working effectively across cultures” for experts on to complement the existing modules of the Digital Toolkit. Stay tuned!
Bringing the regional voices together in South America
The first regional project in the pipeline takes place in the Gran Chaco region, the second-largest forest in South America, behind only the Amazon rainforest. Nine million people live in this region that crosses different countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil. For this regional project, all of these countries will be involved except for Brazil. Becoming the Action with the most number of partners since the beginning of MIEUX, it will bring together 10 partners from local and national governments, civil society organisations (networks and associations) and regional organisations and academic institutes. Building from the previous Ecuador II Action, they will work on a policy and management tools to better coordinate environmental migration together with the MIEUX+ team and experts.
Enhancing internal capacities to improve migration management in Cameroon
Migration crisis became a challenge shared from various regions and countries worldwide. In Western Africa for instance, thousands of Cameroon returnees are back in the country after their attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Since the country has not yet adopted a national migration policy, international migration and mobility questions are being raised by national actors, and potentially leading to coordination issues among them. To find joint solutions to these issues, the Ministry of External Relations of Cameroon will work with MIEUX+ team and experts in enhancing their internal capacities on how to improve migration management.
More Actions are in the pipeline. Soon the MIEUX+ team will kick off some of them, in person or virtually, and we will share more information about their results here and in our social media channels. Follow us to get regular updates!
Do you want to learn more, get involved or submit a request?
As you can all imagine, the MIEUX+ team is kept busy with the implementation of the ongoing and future Actions. It also welcomes requests from partners who would like to work on the demand-driven, holistic or regional projects on any topic related to migration.
Because the essence of the initiative lays on the EU expertise, we also invite civil servants of European Public Administrations to register to the Expert Roster or
Stay tuned for more information above these Actions and future ones!