Euro-African Migration and Development Process
(‘"Rabat Process"’)

Support for the Rabat Process on Migration and Development

The Rabat Process is an example of regional co-operation between the EU and the African countries located along the Central and West African migration route. In this sense, the Lisbon Declaration of December 2007, which establishes the Joint Africa-EU Strategy at a continental level, refers specifically to the regional processes involved in migration co-operation including the Rabat Process.

In this context, the European Commission (EC) has launched at the beginning of 2010 (and framed under the EU financed Project “Support to the EU-Africa Partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment”) an initiative aimed at supporting the Rabat Process by supplying an open consultation framework on a thematic and geographic base, while strengthening the leadership of key participants and promoting the Euro-African dialogue as well as the exchange of good practices.This initiative is designed as an open but structured instrument aimed at encouraging and supporting progress achieved in the Rabat Process by allowing the signing States to participate actively in a constructive dialogue on all migration related issues.

The Project is implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) under the guidance of the Rabat Process’ “Comité de Pilotage” (the major decision-making body directing the process) consisting of France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Senegal, Morocco, Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea as well as the European and ECOWAS Commissions. It will guide the project according to priorities established together with representatives from both African and EU countries.

Main Activities supporting the Rabat Process

The following activities are foreseen to be implemented in the framework of the Project in order to support the Rabat Process:

1. In accordance with the thematic priorities defined by the “Comité de Pilotage” during its meeting in January 2010 in Madrid (Spain), and confirmed in October 2010 in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), a series of expert meetings will be organised to directly contribute to preparations for the third Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development to be held by the end of 2011. These expert meetings are aimed at reinforcing institutional dialogue and cooperation mechanisms.
2. Interventions aimed at facilitating the transfer of know-how, resources and expertise to support the capacities of the key stakeholders of the process.
3. Communication, knowledge management and networking activities aimed at supporting the dialogue between the national and regional actors working in areas related to migration.