MIEUX+ organised its 500th activity with the launch of its fourth Action in collaboration with the Government of Costa Rica on 02 December 2020. This milestone represents also the first Action launched by MIEUX+, the phase newly inaugurated in April 2020.
MIEUX+ responds to COVID-19 and its challenges
The COVID-19 outbreak has proved to be a critical challenge for Latin America and the Caribbean, not only in terms of migration management but also in providing health services. Most of the countries in the region were already providing migrants access to some form of emergency healthcare and some countries, including Costa Rica, have enhanced its efforts to address the effects of the pandemic.
In this context, the Government of Costa Rica though its General Directorate for Migration and Immigration and its Ministry of Health have requested support from MIEUX+ to strengthen the country’s comprehensive response to protect and assist migrant populations, especially during contingencies such as the COVID-19 emergency.
New challenges bring opportunities for new cooperation and new partners
In collaboration with partner authorities, MIEUX+ has designed an Action that will culminate in the development of:
- A tailored ‘Assistance and Protection Protocol’ for migrant populations during crises
- A Training Course on Health and Migration and Guidelines for the development of a training programme on migration for Costa Rican institutions.
Through cooperation with former and new partners, the Costa Rica IV Action is an opportunity for MIEUX+ to mobilise its expertise and knowledge in new areas of cooperation such as contingency planning and migration health.
This support will contribute to the global need for cooperation for a better management of crises, such as the COVID-19 outbreak, while strengthening Costa Rica’s institutional capacity and its preparedness for future contingencies. By establishing links and conducting capacity development activities with a new partner such as the Ministry of Health, the Action will strengthen the efforts of the Costa Rican Government to assist to migrants and mainstream migration in other sectors such as health.
Another milestone for MIEUX: 500th activity
The launch of this Action also marks an important milestone for MIEUX: the organisation of its 500th activity. Since 2009, the programme has provided assistance through more than 100 Actions with the support of 340 EU Experts covering various thematic areas.
As stated by Alfred Woeger, MIEUX+’s Senior Project Manager, “MIEUX+ is a space for learning and knowledge sharing, and it is great to celebrate our 500th activity with the Costa Rica IV Action. It is a pleasure to see the launch of our activities despite these challenging times. We were able to adjust our work to continue to assist our partners, and to contribute to safe, orderly and regular migration.”
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