Brussels, 8-9 March 2012 - Africa-EU Partnership

Partnership 7 – Migration, Mobility and EmploymentI. ParticipantsAfrica: AUC (Department of Social Affairs/Department of Human Resources, Science &Technology/AU Mission to EU), Egypt, Libya (co-chair), Morocco.EU: EC (DG DEVCO/D3/D4, DG EAC, DG HOME, EU DEL to AU), ES (co-chair)Others: ICMPD, FIIAPPII. OutcomesProgress achieved in the partnership since last JTF (Oct 2010)The participants acknowledged the fact that due to force majeure the political dialoguecomponent of the MME Partnership was interrupted in 2011 while all the other elements ofthe Partnership (e.g. higher education, employment, AIR project, human trafficking and stocktaking at RECs level) continued and managed to achieve some results.Priorities for 2012 and way aheadThe EC suggested launching a collective reflection on the objectives of the MME Partnershipin order to have a more strategic, operational and continental focus. It was agreed by allparticipants that the Lisbon Strategy and the Action Plan 2011-2013 adopted in Tripoli remainthe basis for the MME Partnership. It was re-emphasized that through the Action Plan 2011-2013, Africa and the EU renew their commitment to the implementation of (a) the Declarationof the 2006 Tripoli Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development, (b) the EU-AfricaPlan of Action on Trafficking in Human Beings, especially Women and Children, and (c) the2004 Ouagadougou Declaration and Action Plan on Employment and Poverty Alleviation inAfrica.It was suggested that both sides would have a structured review of the positive and negativeaspects for discussion at the next meeting.Although it was intended to discuss all the 12 initiatives included in the MME Action Plan,unfortunately, due to substantial and lengthy debates, only initiative 1 was discussed.Concerning this initiative, the following was concluded:• Two thematic continental seminars will take place in 2012, focusing on 1)International protection of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, with a focus on NorthernAfrica, following the Arab Spring and 2) Migrants' rights, with special focus onfemale migrants and domestic workers.• One meeting gathering RECs representatives, EC and AUC will take place in July inAddis Ababa.• While the AU has expressed its wish for a Ministerial Meeting to take place by the endof 2012, the EU side considered a Senior Officials Meeting more appropriate, given20