More than two years since the Taliban takeover, Central Asian states have hosted a small, but overlooked population of displaced Afghans. While the fears of an exodus from Afghanistan into Central Asia did not materialise, those Afghans who fled to Central Asia face a precarious future with limited opportunities for permanent settlement or onward migration.
The e-course on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings is available for users!
This course, developed by ICMPD’s Anti-Trafficking Programme and the Prague Process, aims to equip entry to intermediate-level knowledge professionals in migration and asylum with fundamental knowledge about human trafficking and other related crimes. The course delineates the intricacies of human trafficking, distinguishing it from migrant smuggling, and provides an overview of the global trends and legal frameworks surrounding the issue. Additionally, it explores the vulnerabilities to trafficking of individuals in mixed migration flows, state obligations in responding to trafficking, and victim-related issues including identification, principles of victim assistance, risk assessment, and repatriation. The course consists of 16 individual chapters.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has precipitated a significant displacement crisis, resulting in millions of Ukrainians and hundreds of thousands foreign residents and immigrants fleeing the country. As of early 2024, up to 10.8 mio persons remain displaced within and outside Ukraine. The potential for further displacement looms large if Russia gains more ground or if Ukraine loses the fight for its sovereignty.
This year constitutes the Prague Process’ 15th anniversary and thereby an opportunity to reflect upon the origins and evolution of the Process since its establishment in 2009.
The journey commenced after nearly a year of groundwork in 2008, culminating in the official initiation of the intergovernmental dialogue on migration known as the Prague Process during the inaugural Ministerial Conference in Prague on 27-28 April 2009organised by the Czech EU Presidency within the EU-funded Building Migration Partnerships initiative. The launch of the Prague Process coincided with the genesis of the Eastern Partnership, which took off in Prague a mere month after the Prague Process Ministerial Conference. The endorsement of the Prague Process Joint Declaration marked the beginning of the cooperation among the Prague Process countries, giving the impetus to approximation of differing migration systems and approaches within this distinct geographic context.
The e-course "A Holistic Approach to the Integration of Migrants and Refugees" is now available in English at the Prague Process Training Academy.
We are excited to announce the release of the updated Prague Process Factsheet, a comprehensive resource offering the latest key figures and essential facts about the Process.
We are delighted to present you with the latest edition of the Quarterly Review, covering January to March 2024. This year, the Prague Process celebrates its 15th anniversary, a milestone that highlights sustained commitment of the Prague Process Parties to promote migration partnerships and cooperation. On this occasion, we look back to the first Ministerial Conference in Prague on 27-28 April 2009 and the subsequent evolution of the Prague Process.
22 March marks World Water Day, reminding of the critical importance of fresh water, a resource that remains inaccessible to a staggering 2.2 billion people worldwide. The situation is exacerbated by the effects of climate change, which, in turn, can become a driver for migration, as the well-being of public health, the economy, food and energy supplies, and the environment relies on effective management and just distribution of water resources.
The Regional Migration Outlook for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) presents an analysis of the key events and trends that shaped migration in the EECA region in 2023. Simultaneously, it offers a cautious outlook into areas and issues that may affect migration and mobility to, within and from EECA in 2024. In a non-exhaustive way, the publication addresses developments in the twelve EECA countries (based on ICMPD’s regional division) – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. The analysis is based on ICMPD’s regional expertise and desk research from official and public data sources.
In our beginning-of-the-year tradition, Jean-Louis De Brouwer (Director, European Affairs Program, Egmont Institute) and Ralph Genetzke (Director, ICMPD Brussels Mission) met again to assess the key lessons and migration policy developments of 2023 and shared their expectations for 2024.
You may watch the recording of the Policy Talk in English by following this link.
Amidst conflicts and crises across the EU’s neighbourhood, the European Council’s historic decision on the EU enlargement of December 2023 was assessed from a migration policy perspective. The Policy Talk highlighted that migration is set to play a key role in the upcoming mid-2024 EU elections, which will largely determine the place of migration within the next strategic agenda for 2024-2029. With the recent political endorsement of the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration, the panel also delved into its future role and prospects. The Policy Talk further explored topics such as the forced displacement of Ukrainians, recent attempts by EU Member States to externalize asylum procedures, and the need to boost legal migration channels to address ever increasing labour shortages.
