On 13-14 December 2022, ministers and high-level representatives of the partner countries and organisations of the Rabat Process met in Cadiz, Spain, for the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Euro-African Dialogue on Migration and Development (Rabat Process) to adopt the Dialogue’s new multi-annual cooperation programme.
Renewed commitment
Under the auspices of the Kingdom of Spain, 15 ministers and senior officials representing a total of 25 African and 26 European countries gathered in Cadiz. High-level representatives of the two regional partner organisations (ECOWAS, European Union) also took part in the proceedings, as well as representatives of international organisations.
After more than fifteen years of successful cooperation on migration and development in the framework of the Rabat Process, the partner countries renewed their political commitment towards a comprehensive, coordinated and balanced approach to migration management.
Adoption of the new multi-annual strategic framework
The Conference concluded with the adoption of the Political Declaration and Cadiz Action Plan, which constitutes the multi-annual cooperation programme of the Rabat Process for the next five years (2023-2027). The Dialogue Secretariat, ensured by ICMPD, will support the implementation of these commitments according to the needs of the partner countries.
Download:
- Cadiz Political Declaration and Action Plan 2023-2027 (English)
- Déclaration politique et Plan d'action de Cadix 2023-2027 (French)
The Cadiz Action Plan addresses five action areas, containing ten specific objectives and 29 related actions. By maintaining the five action areas of the Dialogue’s previous cooperation programme, the Cadiz Programme ensures continuity while adapting its objectives and actions to the evolved international context.
"In the Political Declaration and the Cadiz Action Plan adopted at the Rabat Process Ministerial Conference, we recognise the positive impact of regular migration and agree to work for safe migration that respects the fundamental rights and dignity of people."
- José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (Spain)
Current opportunities and challenges in the Rabat Process region
The conference also provided an opportunity for partner countries to exchange views in two roundtable discussions.
The first roundtable focused on common opportunities and challenges in the field of migration and mobility for Rabat Process countries. The second roundtable focused on perspectives to address new migration drivers in the Rabat Process region. Among the most frequently cited themes were the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ruso-ukrainian crisis, population growth and climate change, as well as challenges and drivers related to each of the five areas of the cooperation programme. At the same time, the potential of bilateral and multilateral cooperation was highlighted as a major opportunity and participants emphasised the importance of solidarity and shared responsibility.
The meeting report provides an overview of the identified challenges, opportunities and drivers.
Download:
- Meeting report of the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Rabat Process
- Discussion paper round table 1
- Discussion paper round table 2
Renewed governance
The Ministerial Conference was also the occasion for Spain to hand over the Chairmanship of the Rabat Process to Morocco, who will chair the Dialogue until the end of 2023. In addition, a meeting of the Steering Committee and a Senior Officials’ Meeting that had preceded the Ministerial Conference provided not only occasions for a final review of the Cadiz Action Plan, but also the opportunity to renew the Dialogue’s governance to make it more inclusive:
- Four new members joined the Steering Committee: Niger, Nigeria, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
- Four international organisations now have permanent observer status at Rabat Process meetings: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Organization on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
- The important role of reference countries, a system introduced in the context of the previous strategic framework, was acknowledged and affirmed for the follow-up on commitments under the Cadiz Action Plan.
The Senior Officials’ Meeting also gave room to look back at the achievements of the Rabat Process under its previous multi-annual strategic framework, the Marrakesh Action Plan. The Secretariat presented a stocktaking report and a video, analysing activities implemented from 2018 to 2022.
Download:
- Meeting report of the Senior Officials’ Meeting on 13 December 2022
- “Taking Stock of the Implementation of the Marrakesh Action Plan (2018-2022)”
Photos of the SOM and 6th Ministerial Conference
