Thematic Meeting on Safe and Dignified Return & Sustainable Reintegration: A Partnership Approach to Lasting Solutions for Returnees and their Communities
- Date:
- Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The Khartoum Process facilitates collaboration and information exchange among countries along the migration route between the Horn of Africa and Europe. Our activities include at the political level, Steering Committee Meetings and Senior Officials' Meeting and at the technical level, Thematic Meetings, Thematic Workshops and Trainings.
The Khartoum Process successfully held its Thematic Meeting on Innovative Strategies for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings and Migrant Smuggling on 10–11 December 2024 in Mombasa, Kenya. The two-day event brought together approximately 50 participants from member states, international organisations and the civil society to address the evolving challenges of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Experts and stakeholders from across Khartoum Process partner countries and institutions gathered in Luxor, Egypt to address the pressing challenges posed by climate displacement in conflict-affected regions. This thematic workshop convened leaders, policymakers, and specialists to explore sustainable solutions for communities most vulnerable to climate-induced displacement. In the opening remarks, the esteemed speakers emphasised the urgency of integrated strategies to mitigate the dual impacts of climate and conflict on displacement. The keynote speaker, Dr. Elizabeth Carabine from UNEP, underscored the need for transboundary cooperation, particularly in the Horn of Africa, a region facing severe environmental stressors and displacement challenges.
On the 16 and 17 of October 2024, a Joint High-Level Meeting of the Khartoum Process and the Rabat Process was hosted in Lisbon, Portugal, under the Egyptian chairmanship of the Khartoum Process and the Portuguese chairmanship of the Rabat Process. The event gathered 156 participants, including 109 participants from 53 partner countries of both Dialogues, as well as international experts and representatives from international organisations. During this 2-day event, they shared lessons learned, best practices and key recommendations to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation across Europe and Africa to foster skills mobility and talent attraction.
On September 11-12, 2024, Finland and Somalia, co-hosted the Khartoum Process thematic meeting in Helsinki, focusing on leveraging migration for sustainable development. The event gathered over 80 participants, including representatives from 13 diaspora, youth, and women organisations, to discuss how these groups can influence and contribute to migration governance and development policy.
Finland presented the National Dialogue Method, a participatory process designed to foster inclusive, constructive conversations between diverse groups in society, ensuring that diverse perspectives are considered in the policymaking process.
In Cairo, Egypt, from 17 – 18 April 2024, the Khartoum Process partners convened for their 10th Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM), following a Steering Committee (SC) meeting on 16 April. The event drew 76 participants representing 26 African and European countries, along with 12 partner organisations. Key figures such as Assistant Minister Ehab Badawy of Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, outgoing chair Mr. Manfred Schüler of Germany's Federal Foreign Office, and representatives from the African Union Commission, European Union and ICMPD were present.
Co-hosted by Kenya and Germany, the Thematic Workshop on Enhancing Transnational Law Enforcement Partnerships on Combatting Trafficking in Persons was held on 7 – 8 February 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. This event was a pivotal gathering that focused on strengthening transnational law enforcement efforts against human trafficking in the Khartoum Process region. This workshop brought together experts and officials from various countries and organisations, including UNODC, the Regional Operational Centre (ROCK), Frontex, the East African Community (EAC) and ICMPD, among others. The primary objectives were to exchange knowledge, raise awareness about the advantages of cross-border police cooperation, and encourage the development of formalised anti-trafficking partnerships. The workshop featured presentations, panel discussions, and case studies highlighting the necessity of comprehensive strategies and collaboration across borders.
On 14-15 November 2023, member States of the Khartoum Process gathered in Stockholm upon the initiative of Sweden and Somalia to discuss whole-of-government approaches on migration.
Responding to a variety of current migration challenges requires a wide range of government actions. Return, readmission, and reintegration are only a part of wider migration policies, which include other elements such as protection, labour migration and skills development, the migration and development nexus etc. As recalled by the Sustainable Development Goals Indicator 10.7.2 and the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration para 15, migration is a multidimensional topic that cannot be addressed by one policy sector alone. In practice planned and well-managed migration policies thus require a comprehensive “whole-of-government” approach. The Joint Valletta Action Plan (JVAP) includes such an approach throughout its five domains, where partnerships, cooperation and coordination amongst institutions are underlined throughout the Action Plan.