On the occasion of the Rabat Process Steering Committee held on 21 March 2017, the Chairmanship of the Rabat Process passed from Republic of Mali to the Kingdom of Belgium. As new chair, Belgium will preside over future sessions of the Steering Committee and continue to be a driving force behind this migration dialogue.
Belgium’s Federal Public Service (FPS) Foreign Affairs will be the focal point for the country’s activities as chair of the Steering Committee. As such, Belgium will guide the dialogue through the reflection process and elaboration of a new multi-annual cooperation programme for the Rabat Process which will be adopted at the 5th Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development in early 2018.
Among Belgium’s priorities will be the pursuit of the open and frank debates between the partner countries which currently characterise the dialogue and which aim at addressing the root causes of migration collectively. Belgium also champions the involvement of civil society organisations in the Rabat Process, and wishes to also strengthen external communication about the dialogue, its mandate and role.
The Rabat Process Steering Committee Chair rotates periodically between African and European partner countries, which contribute to the dialogue’s balanced governance. The Steering Committee’s role is to stimulate cooperation between States, to prepare the political orientation of the dialogue and to ensure the implementation of Ministerial Declarations.
