On 12-13 May 2022, Austria and the Czech Republic in its capacity of Prague Process Chair hosted the Prague Process Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) in Vienna. The SOM represented the second preparatory meeting for the fourth Ministerial Conference, scheduled for 24-25 October 2022. It gathered 79 officials from 26 countries, the European Commission, EU Council, EEAS, EUAA, Frontex, IOM, JCP and ICMPD.

Participants were invited to comment on the updated drafts of the Ministerial Declaration and the Action Plan, which reflect the discussions held during the SOM in November 2021 and the written contributions submitted by the participating states, while also referring to the most pressing regional challenges such as the war in Ukraine, the situation in Afghanistan and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A separate session was devoted to the implications of the war in Ukraine on migration and mobility across the Prague Process region. The second day of the meeting focused on some examples and possible new areas for practical cooperation.