Ministerial Declarations and Action Plans guide the Budapest Process and lead to its main outcomes. The Action Plans guide the dialogue’s activities throughout the year as well as the work of the Thematic Working Groups. Furthermore, the Action Plan provides the basis for the development of new projects and increased operational cooperation in the Budapest Process Regions, specifically Pakistan, Iraq and Bangladesh.
At present, the Budapest Process is focused on finalising the implementation of the Call for Action, a five year plan (2019-2024). In parallel, the negotiations around the texts to be adopted at the 7th Ministerial Declaration started in 2023. The 7th Ministerial Conference will take place end of 2024 and will further shape the dialogue to continue and strengthen its strong link between dialogue and operational cooperation. The dialogue should go to the regions and the regions to the dialogue.
6th Ministerial Conference and the “Istanbul Commitments on the Silk Routes Partnership for Migration”
The Budapest Process held its 6th Ministerial Conference in Istanbul on 19-20 February 2019, and close to 40 countries adopted the “Istanbul Commitments on the Silk Routes Partnership for Migration” and its action plan “A Call for Action – a five year plan”.
The event was hosted by Türkiye and chaired by the Turkish Minister of Interior. 20 Ministers, the European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship as well as 15 Deputy Ministers and States Secretaries took part in the conference. The official programme also included a Gala Dinner at Çirağan Palace with the attendance of H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye.
This political declaration and action plan build upon the achievements of the 2013 Istanbul Ministerial Declaration while taking into account the migration developments of the past years. The Ministerial Declaration “The Istanbul Commitments” introduces five commitments to be upheld in migration management:
- to partnership
- to comprehensive migration management
- to human rights
- to support and solidarity
- to knowledge.
The “Call for Action – a five year plan” lists actions under six priority areas identified for cooperation:
- Prevent and counteract irregular migration, facilitate return and readmission of irregular migrants, and combat criminal networks involved in smuggling of migrants,
- Better organise and improve conditions for legal migration and mobility,
- Support the integration of migrants and counteract discrimination, racism and xenophobia,
- Strengthen the positive impact of migration on development, both in countries of origin and of destination,
- Prevent and combat trafficking in persons, address its root causes and provide adequate protection and support to trafficked persons,
- Promote international protection and the respect of the rights of refugees, in line with international standards
