Regional consultative processes on migration (RCP)

Inter-State consultation mechanisms on migration at the regional level are defined as:

Glossary

The continued importance that States have placed on their engagement with RCPs shows the significance of regional cooperation to governments, and of a regional approach to migration management. Within these loose forums, alliances are created and strengthened, often leading to bilateral or multilateral agreements.

RCPs differ in terms of the issues they cover. Some RCPs focus exclusively on one area of migration; others address several areas of migration governance. RCPs addressing a specific area of migration management include the African Union Horn of Africa Initiative on Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Migrants (AU-HoAI, dedicated to counter-trafficking and counter-smuggling), the Regional Consultative Process on Overseas Employment and Contractual Labour for Countries of Origin in Asia (Colombo Process, dedicated to labour migration), COMMIT Process (dedicated to counter-trafficking). RCPs that address a wide array of migration issues include the Regional Conference on Migration (RCM), the South American Conference on Migration (SACM), the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA) and the Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA).

RCPs can be very effective in attaining consensus and developing common approaches. For example, since its establishment in 2000, the SACM has offered a forum for discussions leading to regional policy developments such as the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) Residence Agreement and the decisions of the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) on the Andean Card for Migration and Andean Passport.

The non-binding outcomes of RCPs can be taken forward more concretely if those RCPs are formally associated with political and economic unions. For instance, RCPs in Africa have been quite successful in shaping regional policies and legislation on migration for the African Union regional economic communities. For example, the Migration Dialogue for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Region (MID-IGAD or IGAD RCP) facilitated the development of the IGAD Regional Migration Policy Framework adopted in 2012, the IGAD Migration Action Plan for 2015–2020, as well as other IGAD policy instruments related to migration.

Example

Contributions by regional consultative processes on migration to regional policies

The Regional Conference on Migration (RCM) has developed guidance notes for its member States on many areas of concern. These notes include:
- RCM, Regional Guidelines for Special Protection in Cases of the Repatriation of Child Victims of Trafficking, 2008.
- RCM, Guidelines for the Signing of Multi and/or Bilateral Agreements Between Member Countries of the Regional Conference on Migration Regarding the Repatriation of Regional Migrants by Land (Workshop Dignified, Safe and Orderly Return of Migrants), 2004.
- RCM, Guiding Principles for the Elaboration of Migratory Policies on Integration, Return and Reintegration, 2014.
- RCM and IOM, Guidelines on Assistance and Protection of Women in Context of Migration, 2018.
- RCM and IOM, Guide to Develop Public Policies on Reintegration of Returned Migrants, 2015. This manual has been used by Member States to develop national protocols, coordination mechanisms and other tools that aim at strengthening the reintegration process of their nationals.
The Migration Dialogue for West Africa (MIDWA) has developed several “common approach” documents, such as the ECOWAS Common Approach on Migration (2008), the regional common position (2018) and the draft regional migration policy(2018).
The Caribbean Migration Consultations (CMC) ran a workshop aiming to establish a Caribbean-wide counter-trafficking network in 2018, recognizing that the exchange of information must be more cooperative, in order to prevent and respond to human trafficking. Experts and government officials share information on current actions, best practices, gaps and challenges in their work and seek to identify priorities at the regional level in regional meetings.
The work of the Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa (MIDSA) has contributed to the development of South African Development Community (SADC) regional action plans on labour migration and a regional action plan to address mixed and irregular migration. While the latter document was non-binding, several States, with the support of IOM, used it as a template to develop a national action plan on irregular and mixed migration. For instance, it has inspired the Zambian National Action Plan on Addressing Mixed Migration (IOM, 2019c: 13).
The Almaty Process has created a network of regional experts on migration.
The Prague Process has established a migration observatory for the region.

Example

Contributions by regional consultative processes on migration to policy development at the national level

The Budapest Process, through its Silk Routes Facility’s short-term technical assistance instrument, provided technical assistance to the development of various policies in Budapest Process Member States in Asia: comprehensive migration policy for Afghanistan; national emigration and welfare policy for overseas Pakistanis; and policy on engagement with Iraqis abroad.
The Prague Process discussions have informed the development of Belarus’s migration policy concept.
The Government of Peru drew on discussions at the South American Conference on Migration (SACM) and GFMD when developing its National Migration Policy 2017–2025 by (IOM, 2019a: 13).

To Go Further

IOM Resources on Regional Consultative Processes (RCPs).
IOM, Tools and Good Practices on Migration Governance: National and regional levels, 2017d.
Dick, E., et al., Regional Migration Governance: Contributions to a Sustainable International Migration Architecture (Briefing paper), 2018.
Platform on Disaster Displacement, State-led, regional, consultative processes: Opportunities to develop legal frameworks on disaster displacement (Chapter 9 of “Climate Refugees”: Beyond the Legal Impasse?, 2018).

Key messages

While inter-State consultative mechanisms on migration (ISCM) may be organized differently, operate at different levels and focus on different issues, they play a significant role in contributing to the migration policy debate. They have contributed to the emergence of convergent policy approaches at the regional, interregional and international levels and to mainstreaming migration into the political agenda at the highest level.
Through consultation and dialogue, member States of inter-State consultation mechanisms at the regional level - (regional consultative processes (RCPs) on migration - can refine their understanding of different migration issues, benefit from capacity-building opportunities, contribute to shaping the regional and thematic agenda on topics of interest, and enhance their own migration policies and legislation.