Brussels, 15/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - During the Foreign Affairs Council (in its Development format) on Friday 12 December, the EU's development ministers reiterated that maximising the positive impact of well-managed migration on development is a political priority for the EU (see EUROPE 11215).
The conclusions that the development ministers adopted on migration and development call for a coordinated approach to refugees and internally displaced people, and they call for the European Commission to present guidelines on how to integrate and strengthen the migration dimension in political dialogue with third countries and in programming European aid.
“We focused on refugees and displaced persons, as well as the management of migratory flows. These issues normally relate to the 'Justice/Security bubble' but there is clearly a strong link with foreign affairs policy, with development policy. This signals my commitment. We have half-opened the door. Follow-up will have to be ensured”, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini told press at the end of the ministerial session. She also announced that in early 2015 coordination work will be done “with the foreign affairs commissioners in order to integrate the various elements. A new era is beginning. We are working in close cooperation with Commissioner Neven Mimica” (our translation throughout).
The Council of the EU states that development cooperation can bring a significant contribution to the responses to be found to political and economic instability and to human rights violations, conflicts, environmental vulnerability, unemployment and extreme poverty - which can be the deep-rooted reasons for illegal immigration and forced displacement. (AN)