Africa-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue (MMD III) support project

Introduction

Migration is a global challenge, which can only be addressed through joint action. Africa and Europe are working together in a spirit of solidarity, partnership, and shared responsibility, striving to create a positive impact on both continents. Recognising the shared responsibility and mutual benefits of migration, the Support Programme to the Africa-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue (MMD) supports policy dialogue, capacity-development, and partnerships that address migration challenges and opportunities. 

In its third phase (MMD III), the project, implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) focuses on enhancing migration governance within Africa and between Africa and Europe. It aims to reduce risks faced by migrants while maximising migration's contribution to sustainable development for both continents. Through dialogue platforms and knowledge exchange, MMD III empowers stakeholders to develop effective, rights-based migration policies and practices that reflect shared priorities, commitments and realities. By empowering non-governmental stakeholders who are normally less involved in migration dialogues, MMD contributes to bridging the gap between policy recommendations proposed by dialogue partners and the implementation of tangible actions at regional and continental levels.

Scope and objectives

The Africa-EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue (MMD) support project promotes orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility within Africa and between Africa and Europe. It is part of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, focusing on:

• Enhanced governance and cooperation on migration and mobility within Africa and between Africa and the EU.
• Increased engagement of civil society organisations (CSOs), diaspora groups, and local authorities (LAs) in migration-related matters.

The MMD project aligns with the five key domains of the Joint Valletta Action Plan (JVAP), which is the political and operational framework on migration adopted in November 2015 on the Valletta Summit on Migration between European and African leaders:

1. Development benefits of migration and addressing root causes of irregular migration and displacement.
2. Legal migration and mobility.
3. Protection and asylum.
4. Prevention of and fight against irregular migration, migrant smuggling, and trafficking in human beings.
5. Return, readmission, and reintegration.

Now in its third phase, the project continues to support both multilateral and regional migration dialogues such as the Rabat Process (connecting countries from Central, West, and Northern Africa with Europe), Khartoum Process (connecting countries from the Horn of Africa and Europe), and AU-EU Continent-to-Continent Migration and Mobility Dialogue (C2CMMD) which is the dialogue platform between the African Union Commission and the European Union Commission, following up on the JVAP commitments.

The secretariats of these dialogues, co-chaired by African and European partners, are facilitated by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).

Additionally, MMD III supports selected initiatives from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), research institutions, diaspora organizations and other non-state actors through the MMD Grant Facility. By providing competitive grants, the MMD Grant Facility aims to strengthen connections to the JVAP framework, boost non-governmental participation in migration and mobility discussions both at the regional and at the continental levels, and promote knowledge-sharing through research and policy recommendations that guide the dialogues and inform priority-setting.

Results

Since its inception, the MMD project has made significant progress in advancing migration governance and cooperation. Key achievements of its third phase include:

• Development and operationalisation of regional cooperation frameworks on migration:
  • Between Europe and West, Central, and North Africa through the Rabat Process;
  • Between Europe and East Africa/Horn of Africa via the Khartoum Process;
  • Between the EU and AU under the Continental Dialogue on Migration and Mobility (C2CMMD).
• Establishment of a robust network of national focal points and contact persons to support dialogue, information-sharing, and coordinated actions.
• Promotion of knowledge exchange, identifying and disseminating good practices at national, regional, and continental levels.
• Provision of targeted technical assistance to build institutional capacities of key stakeholders, complemented by the development of tailored training programmes.
• Between October 2023 and October 2025:
  • More than 2,700 stakeholders participated in dialogue-related activities.
  • Three joint thematic meetings of the Rabat and Khartoum Processes were held, fostering cross-regional and cross-thematic cooperation on shared priorities.
  • With the support of the Rabat Process, a Network of National Focal Points for Missing Migrants was launched to address this pressing humanitarian issue: a thematic meeting on Missing Migrants enabled the elaboration of action-oriented recommendations
  • With the support of the Rabat Process, 32 concrete recommendations on youth, education and innovation were developed by over 120 participants.
  • Under the Khartoum Process, a Ministerial Conference was organised in Cairo, Egypt and a new strategic framework with the Cairo Declaration and Action Plan was agreed upon.
  • With the support of the Khartoum Process, a thematic meeting on Civil Registration and Legal Identity gathered stakeholders to examine legal identity as a cornerstone of access to rights and services and effective migration governance.
  • Within C2CMMD, two Migration Governance Training Manuals – “Making Migration Work for Africa” targeting policymakers and “Migration in Africa: Myths and Realities” targeting media and communicators from CSOs – as well as a Study on the Challenges and Opportunities for the Ratification and Popularisation of the AU Free Movement Protocol were published.
• Enhanced participation of non-governmental actors in migration and mobility programming through the award of eight grants to projects led by 29 African and European civil society organisations, including NGOs, research institutes, universities, diaspora groups, and social enterprises. These initiatives span 25 African countries and were all successfully officially launched, some in presence of EU staffs and local authorities.
• Creation of the Joint Valletta Action Plan (JVAP) Database, which has seen five data collection cycles between 2016 and 2025. This database informs on investment in humanitarian assistance, development aid, and peacebuilding towards the implementation of the JVAP. The infrastructure and methodologies guiding this process have been revamped and improved over the years, culminating recently with the JVAP Partner Stocktaking of JVAP Follow-up in October 2024. 

Implementing partner

International Centre for Migration Policy Development

In addition, the following organisations and entities participate actively and on a regular basis in the various components of MMD III:

• European Commission (EC)
• European External Action Service (EEAS)
• Council of the European Union
• African Union Commission (AUC)
• Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
• Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• African Institute for Remittances (AIR)
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
• European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex)
• Civil Society Organisations and Non-State Actors