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Coordination and Cooperation Centre for Migration in the Mediterranean established in Malta

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Malta
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Govt. Malta
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On 25 May 2016, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr George W. Vella, and Dr Michael Spindelegger, Director-General of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), inaugurated the organisation’s Coordination and Cooperation Centre for Migration in the Mediterranean in Floriana.

This was immediately followed by official signing of the agreement to establish this office in Malta and a joint press conference attended by Minister for Home Affairs and the National Security, Carmelo Abela, Ambassadors accredited to Malta and other distinguished guests, amongst them Mr Lukas Gehrke, ICMPD’s Director of the Southern Dimension and Mr Julien Simon, Head of the Regional Office of the Mediterranean for ICMPD.

Minister Vella stated that the opening of the office highlighted Malta’s international credentials on migration, adding that this would build upon the achievements made at the Valletta Summit on Migration in November 2015. Minister Vella also highlighted the importance of this development in the light of a possible reactivation of the Central Mediterranean migration route.

Welcoming the setting up of this office in Malta, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr George W. Vella emphasized the importance of the active involvement of ICMPD in helping to deal with one of the most pressing issues facing the European Union today, migration and forced displacement. Minister Vella said that Malta is honoured that ICMPD chose our country for its first regional office.

ICMPD’s Director-General Michael Spindelegger, the former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor of Austria, said that the new office would benefit from the experience and contacts Malta has built over the past years. Dr Spindelegger said that the opening of ICMPD’s first regional office in Malta highlights the organisation’s concerns regarding the migration issues in the Mediterranean. He stated that together with local and international partners ICMPD will bring a valuable contribution to finding solutions and advancing new policies in the migration field in Europe and beyond.

ICMPD was founded to serve as a support mechanism for informal consultations and provide expertise and efficient services on migration and asylum issues. Apart from being an international organisation, ICMPD also holds observer status at the United Nations and receives funding from its 15 member States, the European Commission, and other international organisations such as the UN.