First UN summit on large movements of refugees and migrants: focus on shared challenges

On 19 September 2016 the international community will discuss asylum and migration issues in a single framework for the first time. The success of the high-level plenary session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York will depend on whether it manages to institute a binding principle of shared responsibility in refugee crises, and lay the foundations for rights-based migration governance. Germany, which has lately risen to international prominence in refugee and migration matters, can profit from the summit and supply input for tackling the political challenges. (Autorenreferat

Global migration governance and mixed flows: implications for development-centred policies

Refugee movements, international migration and socio-economic development are intimately bound up together. The impacts of global migratory movements depend on their political management: circumstances conducive to development require close and dependable cooperation between the countries involved. But international cooperation on refugee and migration policy - global migration governance - has to date been weak. Important institutional and policy changes are currently under way, with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 including at least some universally binding targets and indicators for migration. And in September 2016 the international community decided to prepare two global compacts - one for migration, one for refugees - within the space of two years. Both will have repercussions for the international institutional setup and the division of responsibilities between UN agencies, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Existing supranational consultative forums in the area of migration can also be expected to gain in political significance. What is required from the development perspective is a normative and institutional reordering of global migration policy - a process the German government should promote and contribute to. (author's abstract

On the way to a Global Compact on Refugees: the "zero draft" - a positive, but not yet sufficient step

In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly is due to adopt a "Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration" and a "Global Compact on Refugees". These initiatives are intended to give new momentum to the international cooperation in refugee and migration policy. The first drafts are promising, but the "Zero Draft" for the Refugee Compact is not yet ambitious enough. With regard to the ongoing negotiations on the Refugee Compact, the German government should, in particular, submit proposals on how to strengthen the implementation of the Compact, how to improve the resettlement of refugees, and how to provide sustainable financial support to host countries. (Autorenreferat

"Better Migration Management": a good approach to cooperating with countries of origin and transit?

Since the EU and Turkey concluded their refugee agreement, the central Mediterranean is becoming increasingly important again and is currently t he most travelled route for irregular immigration to Europe. A proportion of the refugees and migrants on this route in 2016 came from the Horn of Africa and East Africa. As part of the Khartoum Process, the EU is seeking to cooperate with the countries in this region on migration policy. The Better Migration Management (BMM) programme is one part of these en - deavours. Some civil society actors criticize the programme because they believe it dis- regards human rights and validates despotic regimes. Analysis shows that this claim has, so far, been unjustified. Nevertheless, there is a risk that such cooperation may embolden authoritarian leaders who commit human rights violations. It is, therefore, all the more important to pay attention not only to effectiveness, but also to sustaina- bility and legitimacy when establishing partnerships on migration policy. (author's abstract

How Germany can benefit from the Global Compact for Migration: opportunities for national reforms and international cooperation

In December 2018, 152 United Nations (UN) member states adopted the Global Com­pact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The document sets out 23 objectives that guide countries of origin, transit and destination in how to deal with the chal­lenges arising in the context of international migration and forced displacement. If practical progress is to be made in the management and organisation of global migra­tion flows, this requires a twofold commitment - internal and external - on the part of the states involved. The German government - just like other governments inter­ested in effective, sustainable and coherent migration policies - should use the Com­pact to identify further needs for internal reform and to win international partners for strategically selected key issues. The Compact’s review process, the core of which is the International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), provides an opportunity for both. (author's abstract

International cooperation on migration policy: dare to do more! The Global Forum on Migration and Development in Berlin opens up opportunities

Germany and Morocco are currently joint chair of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). This year’s meeting will take place in June 2017 in Berlin. The Forum is more important than ever: refugee and migrant numbers are on the increase; the lines between forced and voluntary migration are becoming increasingly blurred; and governments are less and less able to cope with the associated challenges on their own. And yet international cooperation on migration policy is weak, fragmented and mostly ineffective. The Berlin conference can make a contribution to strengthening it. The meeting also offers the German Federal Government an excellent opportunity for extending its role in shaping international cooperation on migration policy. (author's abstract

Tapping into the economic potential of refugees: fostering development through transitional social and economic integration

Globally, the number of refugees trapped in protracted displacement situations is rapidly growing. For many of them, none of the three traditional durable solutions to refugee crises – return to home communities, resettlement to another place, or permanent local integration – is a realistic option. Therefore, a fourth option must be discussed: fostering temporary social and economic integration as an important step toward rebuilding refugees’ lives. From a development perspective, tapping into the economic potential of refugees during this displacement period can reduce pressure on service provision, reduce fiscal stress, create economic gains for both the displaced and the host communities, and reduce tensions and, thus, the impact of exclusion and the potential for violence. German and European development actors should work on a comprehensive policy framework to support investments in refugee self-reliance that also benefit host communities. (Autorenreferat

Asian migration to Europe and the development of a Common European Migration and Refugee Policy

"In der nahen Zukunft wird Europa mit zusätzlichen Migrationströmen gesteigerte ethnischer Heterogenität konfrontiert werden. Die adäquaten politischen Vorkehrungen hierfür zu schaffen, wird eine der größten politischen Herausforderungen der nächsten Jahre sein." (Autorenreferat

Border security, camps, quotas: the future of European refugee policy?

On 18 March 2016, the EU member states and Turkey concluded an agreement on the return of persons having arrived in Greece irregularly – in the hope of reducing the number of irregular migrants coming into the EU. After months of member states being unable to find a common response to the rising numbers of new arrivals, the agreement is considered a breakthrough by many observers. In fact, the agreement stands for a broader shift in EU refugee policy, which now focuses on the themes of border security, camps and quotas. This goes along with a reorientation from the previously prevalent individual asylum application towards a system where groups of refugees are accepted voluntarily (resettlement). This trend carries serious risks for refugee protection globally. At the same time, however, new forms of cooperation are taking shape that could strengthen the EU asylum system. (author's abstract