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The Joint Valletta Action Plan Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) which took place in Malta on 8-9 February 2017, embodied a spirit of cooperation and solidarity. The meeting gathered delegations from Africa and Europe to take stock of the progress made to date under the Joint Valetta Action Plan and led to the adoption of a set of joint conclusions, based on the recommendations of the Rabat Process and the Khartoum Process. The following documents of the meeting can be found below:

-        Joint conclusions

-        Khartoum Process Analysis Report

-        Rabat Process Analysis Report

-        Mapping documents Table 1 and 2

-        Final Programme

Resources:

File
Joint conclusions_SOM MALTA.pdf
Khartoum_Process Analysis Report_Valletta_Final.pdf
Rabat Analysis Report_Valletta_Final.pdf
mappingOfResponsesVAP_Table 1_27-01-2017_withlogo.pdf
mappingOfResponsesVAP_Table2_27-01-2017_withlogo.pdf
Final Programme SOM (6 Feb 2017).pdf

On the 15th and 16th December 2016, the Khartoum Process membership convened for Steering Committee and Senior Officials Meetings respectively in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The first meeting chaired by the new Chair of the Process, Ethiopia, this Senior Officials Meeting agreed upon next steps for the progression of the Process and its related operational activities. The meeting took place in a spirit of partnership and cooperation and was opened by a welcoming address of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Dr. Workneh Gebayehu, who underlined the importance of hosting this SOM for Ethiopia as a country which recognises the importance of paying attention to questions concerning the root causes of migration and comprehensive migration policy.

Members of the Khartoum Process and invited delegates discussed the state of play of the Khartoum Process, reiterating that the progress in the development of the Process is both structurally visible and measurable. The Process has thus provided a framework for the development of closer relationships between governments, facilitating the introduction of legislation and other measures by the partners. Also discussed were suggestions for the 2017 Work Plan of activities for the Process and the Joint Valletta Action Plan Report ahead of the Valletta SOM to be held in Malta in February 2017 where it will be presented.

Finally, Italy proposed its candidature as the next chair of the Process as of 2018, following Ethiopia. This offer was formerly accepted and approved by the members of the Khartoum Process Steering Committee on the 15th December 2016.

The 2nd thematic meeting of the Khartoum Process focused on return, readmission and reintegration - in line with the fifth priority domain of the Valletta Action Plan. 

It took place in Addis Ababa on 19-20 October 2016 and was hosted by Ethiopia and co-chaired by Ethiopia and Italy.

The meeting addressed returns from Europe as well as returns from transit and host countries within Africa and the neighboring region, including small-scale returns - voluntary and enforced -, and large-scale voluntary repatriation of refugees when conditions in their home countries permit.

Sessions were divided into three thematic focuses:

1. Strategies, policies and approaches during the pre-return phase
2. Identification: techniques, key stakeholders and cooperation mechanisms
3. Establishing reintegration strategies

Experts from both Africa and Europe, as well as international organisations representatives from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) shared best practices, case studies and concrete recommendations.

A particular focus was made on pre-return preparation, cooperation between states in the identification phase and finding sustainable reintegration methods, including for vulnerable groups and medial cases.

At their 2nd meeting in Rome, on 8 July 2016, participants to the Informal Working Group (iLWG) convened to give impetus to the Khartoum Process, including through the implementation of concrete initiatives.

They identified needs in relation to the Horn of Africa Route through the review of ongoing and proposed projects funding options and agreed on a tentative plan of activities for the second half of 2016.

Participants to the 2nd Informal Working Group discussed the following issues:

• the outcome of the first Thematic Meeting, which took place in Khartoum on 24-25 May
• information sharing on human trafficking and smuggling of migrants and the role of the proposed Regional Operational Centre
• the progress on the implementation of several EU projects, including ‘Better Migration Management’ (BMM) and  ‘Addressing Mixed Migration Flows’ (MMF)
• the outcome of the Valletta ‘stocktaking’ meeting, which took place in Brussels on 21-22 June
• a brief update on the activities under the Regional Development and Protection Programmes (RDPP) and their link with the broader global agenda on protection and protracted displacement
• future meetings timetable, agenda and host country 

Resources:

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Photo gallery

A technical stock-taking meeting on the state of play of the implementation of the Valletta Action Plan takes place in Brussels on 21-22 June 2016.

During this mid-year meeting, an overall assessment of Joint Valletta Action Plan (JVAP) implementation was undertaken.

The objective of the meeting was to recall the VAP objectives and commitments, as well as the implementation strategy of key stakeholders.

Conclusions and the way forward in the lead-up to the upcoming Senior Officials Meeting were also discussed. 

The first Thematic Meeting of the Khartoum Process was dedicated to tackling people smuggling, with a particular focus on regional law enforcement and judicial response.

It took place in Khartoum on 24-25 May 2016 under the chairmanship of the UK and was co-convened and hosted by the Republic of Sudan.

Participants discussed ways to better tackle people smuggling by improving information sharing, investigations into criminal activities, border management, and prosecutions and legislation.

Resources:

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Photo gallery

At their first meeting in Paris, on 25 February 2016, the Informal Working Group (iLWG) discussed the following issues:

• the mapping of projects under the Khartoum Process, including under the Valletta Action Plan
• the progress of several EU projects, including ‘Better Migration Management’ (BMM)
• the need to ensure a coherent ‘whole of region’ approach to ‘Better Migration Management’, inclusive of North Africa, and to ensure coherence of BMM and other EU projects with existing international work in the region 
• training needs in the participating countries
• the organisation of Thematic Meetings on legal migration including visa facilitation and intra-Africa migration, and on returns and reintegration 
• the role of National Focal Points and of communication   

This Senior Officials Meeting took place in London on 24 November 2015, the first under the chairmanship of the United Kingdom.

At the meeting, participants reiterated their commitment to combat people smuggling and human trafficking and improving the management of migratory flows in the Horn of Africa and towards the European Union. 

Senior Officials agreed on the rules of procedures of the Steering Committee and on the terms of reference of the Khartoum Process Secretariat. The Secretariat was asked to undertake a mapping of ongoing and proposed multilateral and bilateral projects and funding relevant to the work of the Khartoum Process.