On November 23, 2011, Senegal in Dakar hosted the Third Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development aimed at consolidating the Rabat Process, consolidating the achievements in the implementation of the three-year cooperation program adopted in Paris, and adopting a new strategy for the years 2012-2014.

The context

Migration flows are complex phenomena whose management requires a coherent response that addresses, in a comprehensive and balanced way, the different aspects and various phases of the migratory process. In July 2006, European and African Ministers in charge of Migration and Development issues gathered in Rabat. They decided to work together on offering a concrete and appropriate response to these fundamental issues, based on the strong conviction that well-managed migration represents an opportunity for inidividuals and states in Africa and in Europe, and should be anchored in the principles of combating poverty, promoting sustainable development and co-development, and respecting the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees. The Rabat Process was born, launching a balanced, pragmatic and operational mechanism of cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination of migrants coming from West and Central Africa. Two years later, more than 60 European and African countries participated in a second Ministerial conference of the Rabat Process that took place in Paris, and agreed on a comprehensive cooperation programme addressing three pillars of migration management: organising legal migration, fighting irregular migration, strengthening the synergies between migration and development.

The conference

On November 23rd 2011, Senegal hosted in Dakar the Third Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development, bringing together Ministers responsible for migration and development issues in Europe and in North, Central and West Africa, as well as other representatives of partner states and institutions. The purpose of the conference was to consolidate the Rabat process and strengthen the implementation of the three-year cooperation program on migration adopted in Paris. It also adopted a Declaration on a strategy for the years 2012-2014 called Dakar Strategy. The debates leading to the adoption of the Declaration were rich and successful. The meeting showed results that go beyond the expected objectives.

The strategy

The strategy adopted in Dakar will be as follows: five principles which reflect the spirit of the Rabat Declaration; a framework for cooperation and dialogue, based on the three pillars of the Rabat Process, which is the Paris Cooperation Programme; and ten priority objectives in respect of which the partners undertake to implement a number of actions.

A follow-up meeting will be held in Madrid, Spain during the second quarter of 2012 and focus on the programming of these actions.

More information on http://www.dialogueuroafricainmd.net/web/index.php
See also: http://www.rewmi.com/Stefano-Manservisi-La-migration-est-traitee-comme-une-opportunite-reciproque_a52315.html