Rabat Process

The Euro-African Dialogue on Migration and Development (Rabat Process) is a regional migration dialogue. Since 2006, the dialogue has offered a framework for consultation, bringing together countries of origin, transit and destination of the migration routes linking Central, West and Northern Africa with Europe. Over 60 stakeholders, including the European Commission (EC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), are involved. The result is an open dialogue between national administrations about technical and political questions related to migration and development.

The 5th Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development, held on 2 May 2018, defined the current multi-annual cooperation programme of the Rabat Process in the Marrakesh Political Declaration and Action Plan. This non-binding cooperation framework helps to coordinate national efforts in the area of migration management and shapes the focus and priorities of the dialogue for the period of 2018-2020. The new Action Plan introduced a commitment mechanism to translate its objectives into concrete action. The new framework also pays particular attention to ensuring synergies and complementarity with the Joint Valletta Action Plan (JVAP).

The Rabat Process is guided by a strategic framework that is defined by jointly elaborated multi-annual cooperation programmes. Periodically, ministers in charge of migration and development affairs meet at Euro-African Ministerial Conferences on Migration and Development to set the strategic agenda of the dialogue by way of ministerial declarations and action plans. This non-binding cooperation framework helps to coordinate national efforts in the area of migration management and shape the focus and priorities of the dialogue.