The 5th Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development, held on 2nd May 2018, defined the multi-annual cooperation programme of the Rabat Process for the period of 2018-2022, known as the Marrakesh Political Declaration and Action Plan. This non-binding cooperation framework helped coordinate national efforts in the area of migration management and shaped the focus and priorities of the Dialogue. The Action Plan introduced a commitment mechanism to translate its objectives into concrete actions. The framework also paid particular attention to ensuring synergies and complementarity with the Joint Valletta Action Plan (JVAP).
5 domains - 10 objectives - 23 actions
The Marrakesh Action Plan 2018-2020 was the fifth action plan since the foundation of the Dialogue in 2006. It focused on 5 domains and 10 objectives with 23 related actions:
Domain 1
Development benefits of migration / Root causes of irregular migration & forced displacement
1. Maximise the positive impact of regular migration for development (+3 actions)
2. Understand the root causes of irregular migration & forced displacement (+2 actions)
Domain 2
Legal migration and mobility
3. Promote regular migration & mobility (especially young people, women) (+3 actions)
4. Encourage facilitation of visa issuing procedures (+2 actions)
Domain 3
Protection and asylum
5. Strengthen the protection of refugees and the forcibly displaced (+2 actions)
6. Promote the integration of refugees and the forcibly displaced into host communities (+2 actions)
Domain 4
Irregular migration, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings
7. Build capacities for border management and combating migrant smuggling and THB (+3 actions)
8. Improve the protection of those who have been smuggled and of victims of THB (+2 actions)
Domain 5
Return, readmission and reintegration
9. Build capacities for identification processes & the issuing of travel documents (+2 actions)
10. Encourage the safe return and sustainable reintegration of migrants (+2 actions)
6 cross-cutting priorities
Furthermore, the Marrakesh Action Plan featured six priorities of a cross-cutting nature, that were relevant in relation to all domains, objectives and actions defined in the plan.
(1) A human rights-based approach;
(2) Issues of gender and protection of migrants in vulnerable situations;
(3) The fight against xenophobia, racism and discrimination;
(4) A regional approach;
(5) An inclusive and multi-stakeholder approach;
(6) Data collection, analysis and sharing.
The commitment mechanism
The Marrakesh Action Plan introduced a unique commitment mechanism: On a voluntary basis, each partner country could pledge to implement one or more of the 23 actions defined in the cooperation programme.
Actions to put these commitments into practice could be carried out by a country alone or be a collaboration between one or several countries.
Download:
- Marrakesh Political Declaration and Action Plan 2018-2020 - English
- Déclaration Politique de Marrakesh et Plan d'Action 2018-2020 - French
