Dakar – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) successfully concluded a regional training on the Essentials of Migration Management 2.0 (EMM 2.0) in Senegal from 10 to 12 May 2023. This pivotal workshop, brought together 21 high-level officials from G5 Sahel Commission, Liptako-Gourma from eight (8) countries: Chad, Gabon, Ghana, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The primary objective was to create a platform for Member States and other regional and subregional entities to exchange and highlight the interaction between different thematic areas in migration management with a view to build a common and holistic understanding on migration management across the region. 

The workshop sessions were facilitated by EMM2.0 Programme Officer Zeynep Koyuncu, Regional Liaison and Policy Officer Sarah Carl and all the Regional Thematic Specialists of the Regional Office for West and Central Africa: Viviane Nzeusseu for Health and Migration; Alvina Samjawon for Border Management; Nassima Clerin for Trafficking in Persons; Federica Cecchet for the mobility dimensions of crisis; Hind Aissaoui Bennani for Migration, Environment and Climate Change; Naomi Shiferaw for labour migration, integration and social inclusion and Migration and Development.     

Over the course of three (3) days, the participants engaged in comprehensive discussions on key migration management issues, including the global and regional context of migration, the development of efficient and sustainable migration policies, health and migration, border management, trafficking in persons, mobility dimensions of crisis, migration, environment and climate change, labour migration, social inclusion and integration and migration and development. The fruitful exchanges enabled government officials to identify areas of enhanced coordination between different ministries, agencies, and institutions at the national, regional and international levels.

The training was based on IOM's flagship training programme on migration management, the Essentials of Migration Management 2.0, which provides online resources and foundational training to government officials and all stakeholders dealing with migration. The programme highlights the interaction between different thematic areas in migration management and builds a common understanding of migration with a whole-of-government approach. It leverages cooperation at national, regional and global levels and articulates the relevance of international frameworks, such as the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in the day-to-day work of government officials.

Participants in the training session emphasized the event's significance in fostering valuable discussions on effective strategies and challenges in migration management in the region. One participant further stated: "This training session provided an important platform for exchanging insights on best practices and addressing migration management challenges. It challenged our perception that francophone Africa is different from anglophone Africa, as the workshop revealed a shared sense of purpose and unity in our work across the continent. Through this exchange of experiences, we gained valuable knowledge to strengthen our collective efforts in Africa."

"IOM remains committed to working through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to collectively harness the benefits of sustainable development, including migrants and displaced populations, by ensuring that their rights are protected. This training is a key part of our efforts to advance this approach through peer exchanges and enhanced coordination on migration management across the region" said Kristina Mejo, Deputy Regional Director for IOM West and Central Africa, during her opening remarks. 

By bringing together government and sub-regional organizations officials involved in different areas of migration and policy sectors, these initiatives enhance coordination, accountability and expand the scope of engagement in migration management, ultimately promoting more effective and sustainable responses to the challenges posed by migration in the region.

The training was jointly funded by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) from the Swiss Federal Justice and Police Department, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) within the Africa Regional Migration Program and the IOM Regional Office for West and Central Africa.