Africa

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.

The MIEUX Initiative will conclude its 15-year journey at the end of March 2024. The team is organising an event in Brussels on Tuesday 12 March to celebrate the achievements together with partner authorities, experts and Brussels-based representatives from civil society, the diplomatic corps, international organisations and think tanks.

The MIEUX+ team has recently completed threeActions in the Great Lakes region, collaborating with newly established partners.

The MIEUX+ team has leveraged the wealth of proven methodologies for successful training, facilitation, and adult learning to create a unique capacity development tool.

The successful integration of migrants is one of the most discussed topics in many immigration countries. As emphasised in the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, a successful integration and inclusion policy is an essential part of a well-managed and effective migration and asylum policy.

The Mauritius III Action is dedicated to empowering Mauritian national authorities in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting cases of human trafficking, by leveraging European, regional and local expertise.

National authorities in Latin America and the Caribbean, West Africa and the European Southern Neighborhood submitted three additional requests for support last year.

The MIEUX+ team designed and rolled out a tailor-made training course on international migration with the Ministry of External Relations (MINREX) in Yaoundé in April 2023.

The MIEUX+ team and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) piloted a training course on border management during health emergencies in Lusaka, Zambia in March 2023. Mixing theory and practice,  participants are now informed and trained to react to the next health crisis in an efficient manner.

2022 was a watershed moment for migration governance, as the war in Ukraine and its repercussions have triggered levels of displacement unseen since World War II, nearing the total numbers of refugees to the 2015-2016 figures. Also other destination regions witnessed similar developments throughout the year.

Together with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MIEUX+ is organising different activities to develop overall knowledge on migration of Cameroonian civil servants’ and to ensure an improved consular protection and assistance for the Congolese community abroad.

This article looks back on the past 12 months of MIEUX+ Actions. The new reality brought on by the partial recovery from COVID-19 has shifted certain priorities and needs on the ground for MIEUX+ partners.

For the second time since the beginning of the current phase, MIEUX+ is launching its annual report in video format. The annual report highlights the main projects and milestones accomplished between April 2021 and May 2022.

Our new project in Uganda brings together local government and civil society organisations to mainstream migration into local urban planning, in light of the country’s rapid development and urbanisation. We officially launched the Action on-site with our partners, representatives of the EU and experts from Finland and Sweden.

25 May marks Africa Unity Day. For this occasion, MIEUX+ highlights several ongoing projects and discusses the importance of the links between migration and nutrition, the annual theme chosen by the African Union.

Together with experts from Bulgaria, Denmark and Estonia, the MIEUX+ team undertook the onsite component of the capacity and training needs assessment in the framework of the 2^nd MIEUX Action in Mauritius. This project will focus on strengthening the capacities of government officials working on combatting trafficking in human beings (THB), through the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) aimed at enhancing the identification, referral, investigation and prosecution of THB cases.

The annual report summarises the achievements of the first year since MIEUX became MIEUX+ in April 2020. The report is in video format and available to view on this website or on YouTube.

In the context of the third Action between COMESA and MIEUX+, public officials from several COMESA Member States working in the departments of Immigration, customs, health and police discussed border management challenges and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.

MIEUX+ is starting a new series of video interviews with experts and partners to spread knowledge about migration beyond each individual Action. Mr François Gemenne, Director of the Hugo Observatory, discussed what is special about data in the context of climate change and migration as part of his involvement with the Action Benin II.

Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar presented the new Politique nationale d’engagement de la diaspora malagasy (National Malagasy diaspora engagement policy), prepared with support from MIEUX, in Antanarivo, Madagascar. The formulation of the policy, linked to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, has been the objective of a two-year Action that started in November 2017 and aims to promote, foster and facilitate the participation of Malagasys abroad into the country´s future development.

This article describes some of the most recent Actions in the area of diaspora engagement that MIEUX is currently supporting in Ghana and Madagascar.

Mamadou Togui Dabo,Foreign Affairs Advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Mali, has just participated as an expert in the Action that MIEUX is leading and shares his experience with our readers.

The 2018 Annual Report gives an overview of the main achievements during the past year when MIEUX celebrated its 10^th-year anniversary. You can find out more about each of the main sections below or download the full report in English or French.

This week we were in Praia for the closing of the 4^th MIEUX Action in Cabo Verde, presenting the Municipal Action Plans for Immigration and Integration (MAPII) we have helped to develop alongside with local authorities and the Direction General for Immigration (DGI). 

In this article, Oleg Chirita, Programme Coordinator of Global Initiatives, celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the joint EU-ICMPD Migration EU eXpertise Initiative (MIEUX) by creating a year-by-year timeline of the main milestones since 2009.

On 30 October, MIEUX was in Kigali to launch an Action supporting the Directorate-General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE) in investigating and prosecuting cross-border crimes within a migratory context, such as smuggling of migrants and Trafficking in Human Beings, as well as improving the knowledge of Rwandan authorities on after-entry migration management.

In this edition of Expertise, published on World Cities Day, both expert and partner authority discuss their insights around local-level integration and the central role of municipal services and government in easing immigrants’ transition into their country of destination. 

In early October 2018, MIEUX convened its final Regional Knowledge Sharing Round-table in Cotonou, Benin. The final Round-table was devoted to the region of West Africa and gathered 20+ participants, a mix of partners and experts, from Benin, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo among others.  

The joint EU- ICMPD Migration EU eXpertise Initiative (MIEUX) gathered 20 participants, composed of a mix of partner authorities, experts and MIEUX staff, for a two-day workshop in Cotonou, Benin about Migration and Environment. The event is the last of a series of activities executed after the request from the Ministry of Environment of Benin, the Office of Secretary of State of Guinea-Bissau and Ministry of Planning, Development and Land Use of Togo back in 2015.

In the latest edition of Expertise, MIEUX Expert Dr. Martin Russell, co-founder of the forthcoming DiasporaLab, gives his viewson the evolution and current trends in diaspora engagement, one of the areas that governments, especially across Africa, are developing as part of comprehensive migration and development strategies.

The third Regional Round-table was organised in Nairobi, Kenya, on 5 and 6 September 2018. The event was co-hosted by the Kenyan Department for Immigration Services and gathered representatives from Central African Republic, COMESA, the Democratic Republic of Congo, GIZ, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, and Rwanda. 

Today MIEUX publishes two new Regional Factsheets on Eastern, Central and Southern Africa and on Latin America and the Caribbean. In total, 37 Actions across these two regions have supported governments on important areas of migration such as data collection, migration and development, irregular migration, THB and smuggling of migrants (SOM). 

In this interview, first published in the 2017 MIEUX Annual Report, Ms. Lanto Rahajarizafy, Director in charge of the Diaspora for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Madagascar, discusses her experience receiving support from MIEUX in the formulation of an inclusive and sustainable diaspora engagement policy that will provide a framework for the government to harness its potential for development. 

The 2017 Annual report describes the year’s activities; provides a wealth of data about MIEUX Actions; and features interviews from some of the main players involved in the programme.

This is the final article in a three-part special feature on MIEUX Actions in Ghana, Thailand and Timor-Leste on the subject of trafficking in human beings (THB). Today’s article describes how small-scale capacity building interventions, such as those supported by MIEUX, are linked with global actions to combat trafficking.

This is part two of our three-part special feature on MIEUX Actions in Ghana, Thailand and Timor-Leste on the subject of trafficking in human beings (THB). Today’s article describes how MIEUX has adapted the activities and Actions to the needs of each country.

This is part one of our three-part special feature on MIEUX Actions in Ghana, Thailand and Timor-Leste on the subject of trafficking in human beings (THB). Today’s article describes the context these activities take place against currents trends as well as the legal and institutional structures set up to combat THB in each country.

In this new edition of MIEUX Reflections, Ms Stephanie Berry, Project Officer for East, Central and Southern Africa, describes her latest Action on diaspora engagement in Madagascar.

Starting today, and throughout 2018, MIEUX will publish a new series of ‘Regional Factsheets’ to present highlights, results and recommendations borne from 10 years of experience in each of the regions where it implements Actions: West Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, Asia, the EU Neighbourhood and Latin America and the Caribbean. The first publication of the series is West Africa.

Throughout 2018, MIEUX will celebrate its 10 years delivering technical assistance on migration management with a series of regional events and specialised publications.

As 2017 draws to an end, it is time to reflect on what we have accomplished. What have our Actions achieved during these past 12 months in order to advance migration cooperation between EU and partner countries? Here is a selection of five main achievements and nine Actions that illustrate our progress.

Mr. Pablo Rojas Coppari is one of two experts taking part in an ongoing Action in Niger aimed at young migrants through awareness-raising activities related to the dangers of irregular migration, legal migration channels and reintegration opportunities. He has shared his personal experiences on mobility, his thoughts on the future of triangular cooperation and MIEUX.

On 22 November 2017, a MIEUX delegation will attend the presentation of the new National Migration and Development Policy, prepared with support from MIEUX, in Port Louis, Mauritius.

A MIEUX delegation arrived in Antananarivo on Monday 13 November 2017 to launch a new Action supporting the Directorate of Diaspora of the Malagasy Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the development of an inclusive and sustainable diaspora engagement policy.

In this edition of MIEUX Reflections, Pauline Dunoyer de Segonzac, MIEUX’s Coordinator for West Africa, shares her insights about her mission in September, when she accompanied a delegation of Nigerian Maritime Border Management officials on a five-day study visit to Malta. The study visit is part of a six-step ongoing Action designed to assist the Nigerian Immigration Service in this area.

As every month, in November the MIEUX team will be on the ground or deploy a team of experts to support the needs of governments across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Eastern and Southern Neighbourhoods in managing migration and mobility.

ICMPD gathered over 300 ministers, senior-level policymakers, diplomatic missions, and influential migration experts for the second annual edition of the Vienna Migration Conference (VMC) at the Austrian Academy of Sciences on 23 and 24 October 2017.

Now in its 11^th year, the EU Anti-Trafficking Day serves as an occasion to highlight ongoing work against this phenomenon, considered to be a grave violation of human rights and a serious form of organised crime by international standards. Currently, about 20% of MIEUX’s ongoing projects are focused on fighting against trafficking in human beings through several strands of cooperation.

The Immigration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs presented the new National Migration Policy of the Republic of Sierra Leone, drafted with support from MIEUX, on 12 October 2017.

MIEUX Project Officer, Ms Caterina Torchiaro, and the EU Delegation to Sierra Leone joined the presentation in Freetown and participated in debates with relevant stakeholders about how to implement this policy from now on.

MIEUX Reflections is an ongoing series that provides a space where our Project Staff can share their insights on their recent missions.

On any given week, a member of the MIEUX team, together with a group of experts, can be deployed around the world to support EU partner countries in reviewing, transforming and improving their migration policies.

These missions provide opportunities to interact with the full range of local, regional and/or national actors that are involved in  MIEUX’s activities.

Once on the ground, the many months of preparation come alive, inspiring the Project Staff to go forward and apply Lessons Learnt into new activities.