As part of the implementation of two of its Human Mobility projects, Enabel, the Belgian development agency, organised an exchange visit for two delegations from Côte d’Ivoire and Mauritania in Brussels.

The first project, "MIGRET," aims to promote the sustainable reintegration of returning migrants from Côte d’Ivoire and combat trafficking. Funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, IOM, and Enabel, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Ivorians Abroad, this project seeks to contribute to the improvement of migration management in Côte d’Ivoire. It is structured around several strategic pillars, including a territorial component led by Enabel that supports the adoption of sustainable reintegration approaches tailored to the territories and sensitive to the specific needs of returning migrants.

The second project, "MIRECAM," aims to contribute to the better inclusion of displaced persons and refugees in the Hodh El Chargui region of Mauritania, as well as to the creation of socio-economic opportunities for the local population and displaced persons, with a particular focus on women, in the agropastoral sector. Funded by the European Union, it aims to support stakeholders in Hodh El Chargui in gaining a better understanding of population displacement issues, thereby benefiting the region’s socio-economic development within the framework of Mauritania’s international commitments.

Key actors involved in the implementation of these two projects were in Brussels this week for an exchange visit focused on inclusion and (re)integration. This visit aimed to: (i) Enhance understanding of the international framework on migration and asylum, as well as its challenges and opportunities; (ii) Discover good practices and experiences regarding the inclusion of refugees in Belgium; (iii) Become familiar with the coordination tools developed in Belgium to address the inclusion challenges faced by these individuals; (iv) Learn about territorial mechanisms and the modes of collaboration and synergy between different stakeholders.

EMN Belgium had the opportunity to contribute to the programme by delivering a presentation on the added value of network-based work in a field as fragmented and multi-institutional as migration. The presentation outlined the Belgian institutional landscape regarding asylum and migration, as well as the potential for collaboration among these various actors. It provided an opportunity to reflect on the challenges and issues of such a structure, and to exchange views on practical ways to apply these dynamics in the Ivorian and Mauritanian contexts.

EMN Belgium would like to warmly thank Enabel for the invitation!