Original Language
English
ISSN
2223-5248
Number of Pages
40
Date of upload

20 Oct 2015

Migration Policy Practice "Special issue: Migration Outlook for 2015" (Vol. IV, Number 5, December 2014-January 2015)

What will the key migration policy challenges be in various regions of the world in the course of 2015? Are the levels and structure of migration flows likely to evolve, for example in terms of types of migration, source countries, and number and profiles of migrants? And what will be the key policy debates around migration policy in 2015, for example in terms of draft legislation and/or new policy and programme interventions, political milestones (e.g. national or local elections) and public opinion trends?

These are the questions put to six distinguished experts in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and North America, in addition to the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in this special issue of Migration Policy Practice.

In his opening article on the global migration policy challenges in 2015, Ambassador William Lacy Swing, Director General of IOM, highlights four key challenges that the world faces in 2015. These include the crucial need for coordinated and efficient response mechanisms and innovative solutions to address the challenges posed by increased humanitarian crises, urgent action to reduce the rising number of migrant fatalities along the migratory route, the need to change public perceptions of migration and encourage political courage and accountability, and the hopes raised by the historic opportunity to integrate migration into the post-2015 global development agenda, even if this will require an agreement on appropriate, sufficient, and effective measures to monitor and evaluate progress against the goals and targets set out in the new agenda.

Discussing the global refugee and asylum policy challenges in 2015, António Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, foresees that the key challenges in 2015 will focus on issues of protection at sea, access to territory and the future course of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). The need to end routine detention of asylum-seekers, improve child protection safeguards, and increase the focus on durable solutions will be additional matters of concern in the course of 2015. António Guterres further notes that the institution of asylum is today being heavily tested, including in many parts of the developed world. This underlines the responsibility that falls to mainstream politicians, journalists, educators and civil society leaders in fostering tolerance and dialogue to counter such tendencies.

The six interviews with leading migration policy thinkers in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America and North America address a wide range of key challenges in 2015, including in the fields of labour migration, asylum and trafficking in human beings. They provide an informed projection of likely migration policy developments in the course of 2015, including in terms of new policy directions, the levels and structure of migration flows, and public opinion trends.

Migration Policy Practice is a bimonthly journal published jointly by IOM and Eurasylum Ltd. It only contributes articles from, and is overseen by, senior officials in government, EU institutions and international organizations, as well as civil society worldwide, working in the field of migration policy.

As the journal was launched over three years ago, the editors would like to invite readers to spare a couple of minutes to participate in a short readers’ satisfaction survey. The purpose of this survey, which can be taken anonymously, is to help us identify our readers’ profiles, the institutions they represent and their primary interests in our journal. The survey responses should contribute, in particular, to adjusting and improving, as appropriate, the journal’s contents, style and reader’s experience. Should you wish to participate in this survey, please click here.

  • Introduction by Solon Ardittis and Frank Laczko
  • Outlook on global migration policy challenges in 2015 by William Lacy Swing
  • Outlook on global asylum/refugee policy challenges in 2015 by António Guterres
  • Outlook on migration in Africa in 2015 by Aderanti Adepoju
  • Outlook on migration in Asia in 2015 by Manolo Abella
  • Outlook on migration in the Caribbean in 2015 by Joanne van Selm
  • Outlook on migration in Europe in 2015 by Elizabeth Collett
  • Outlook on migration in Latin America in 2015 by William Mejía
  • Outlook on migration in North America in 2015 by Demetrios G. Papademetriou
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