Valletta Summit on Migration

Valletta Summit on Migration
Name	Valletta Summit on Migration
Caption	Heads of state and government at the summit in Valletta, Malta (2015)
Date	11–12 November 2015
Location	Valletta, Malta
Type	International summit
Convened by	European Union and African Union
Participants	Heads of state, heads of government, ministers from European Commission, African Union Commission, United Nations, International Organization for Migration, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Valletta Summit on Migration The Valletta Summit on Migration was an international conference held in Valletta, Malta on 11–12 November 2015, convened by the European Union and the African Union to address irregular migration and refugee flows between Europe and Africa. The summit brought together leaders from over 60 countries, representatives of multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the International Organization for Migration, and the African Development Bank, along with NGOs and civil society actors including Amnesty International and Médecins Sans Frontières. Its outcome, the Valletta Action Plan, sought to coordinate political, humanitarian, development and security measures across continents.

Background and context

The summit occurred amid the 2015 European migrant crisis that involved mass arrivals across the Mediterranean Sea following conflicts and instability in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, and the Sudan region. High-profile incidents such as the 2013 Lampedusa shipwreck, the 2015 Mediterranean migrant shipwrecks, and deaths off Lesbos intensified public attention. Pressure from the European Council, the Council of the European Union, and figures including then-President of the European Commission and leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain pushed for a coordinated response. Simultaneously, African institutions like the African Union Commission, the Economic Community of West African States, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and regional bodies such as the Arab Maghreb Union had stakes in migration governance, remittances, and development partnerships.

Participants and agenda

Participants included heads of state and government from more than 60 countries spanning Europe and Africa and representatives of multilateral organizations: the United Nations Secretary-General office, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank. European delegations comprised ministers and members from the European Council, the European Parliament, and national delegations from Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. African delegations included leaders from Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Somalia, Eritrea, and South Africa. Civil society actors and NGOs such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Médecins Sans Frontières, Oxfam, International Rescue Committee, and the Red Cross attended alongside international financial institutions and security entities like Frontex. The agenda covered irregular migration routes, refugee protection, human trafficking, smuggling networks, search and rescue operations, development cooperation, and diaspora engagement.

Key commitments and action plan

Leaders adopted the Valletta Action Plan, emphasizing cooperation on migration management, protection for refugees and displaced persons, and tackling trafficking and smuggling networks operating across the Sahara Desert and the Central Mediterranean corridor. Commitments included strengthening border management and return and readmission agreements between European states and African partners, enhancing legal pathways and resettlement via collaborations with the UNHCR and IOM, and expanding development financing through instruments involving the European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank. The plan noted support for conflict resolution efforts in Libya, Sudan, and the Sahel regions, backed by diplomatic actors such as the United Nations Security Council, the African Union Peace and Security Council, and the European External Action Service. It referenced cooperation on counter-smuggling with security agencies and law enforcement networks including Interpol and regional policing bodies.

Implementation, funding and follow-up mechanisms

To implement the plan, the summit called for a joint EU-AU Task Force and national action plans coordinated by the European Commission and the African Union Commission, with follow-up via scheduled ministerial meetings and the proposed involvement of the UNHCR and the IOM for operational oversight. Funding pledges combined bilateral aid from Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, and Norway with multilateral financing through the European Development Fund, the World Bank’s Global Concessional Financing Facility, and investments from the European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank. Programs targeted economic development, job creation, migration governance, and reintegration, engaging institutions like the International Monetary Fund for macroeconomic support and the United Nations Development Programme for capacity building. Monitoring mechanisms referenced ministerial review cycles and reporting to bodies such as the European Parliament and the African Union Commission.

Reactions and criticisms

The summit drew praise from leaders including those of Malta, Italy, Germany, and France for promoting cooperation, while international organizations like the UNHCR and IOM welcomed commitments to protection and resettlement. However, rights groups — Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Médecins Sans Frontières — criticized an emphasis on deterrence, return agreements, and externalization of border controls, warning these could undermine asylum obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the mandate of the UNHCR. Academic commentators from institutions such as London School of Economics, University of Oxford, Sciences Po, Johns Hopkins University, and Harvard University questioned the feasibility and accountability of pledges. Parliamentary scrutiny in the European Parliament and national legislatures, along with debates in regional bodies like the African Union and the Arab League, highlighted concerns over human rights safeguards, transparency of funding, and the role of private contractors and security actors such as Frontex and national border agencies.

Impact and legacy

The summit influenced subsequent EU-AU migration dialogues, shaping initiatives like the European Agenda on Migration, enhanced cooperation on returns and readmission, and increased funding mechanisms addressing root causes in the Sahel and Horn of Africa. It affected policy in countries including Italy, Malta, Germany, France, Ethiopia, and Niger and informed later agreements such as bilateral deals between Libya and European states and EU trust funds for Africa. Critics argue some outcomes contributed to the externalization of migration management and contentious practices at sea, while supporters contend it fostered greater international coordination and development investments via institutions like the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the African Development Bank. The Valletta process continued to be referenced in later forums including meetings of the European Council, the African Union Summit, G7 discussions, and UN-led migration governance dialogues.

Category:International conferences Category:2015 in Malta Category:Migration policy