Enhancing cooperation among the Prague Process states

News

Throughout 2022, the Prague Process Quarterly Review attempted to cover the key migration developments observed across the Prague Process region, however Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine stood out as a game changer. The unprecedented forced displacement from and within Ukraine, as well as other migration dynamics resulting from the war have been in the focus of our work. The ongoing fighting and continued Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure may further intensify displacement, aggravate the gripping humanitarian crisis and increase the pressure on hosting communities both inside and outside Ukraine. The war has also forced hundred thousands of Russians opposing the regime’s political agenda or subject to military mobilisation to leave their country.

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014, the subsequent armed conflict in the Donetsk and the Luhansk Regions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, all resulted in a grave humanitarian crisis and considerable displacement within Ukraine. Whereas the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) levelled at approximately 1.5 million before 24 February 2022, it has quadrupled to 6.3 million by August 2022, with Ukraine losing control over nearly a quarter of its territory.

On 23 and 24 November 2022, the Prague Process participated in the fifth ICMPD International Border Management Conference held in Amman under the Patronage of the Minister of Interior of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, H.E. Mazin Abdellah Al Farrayeh. The conference brought together some 150 participants from 26 countries, representing border management agencies, donor and international organizations, academia, the private sector, as well as 13 ICMPD offices.

The partial mobilisation that was announced in Russia in late September 2022 boosted migration from the country affecting primarily men of working age. Allegedly, anywhere between 300.000 to 700.000 persons left the country in a matter of a few weeks. Given the lack of direct flights and skyrocketing airfare, emigration on land was particularly pronounced. Our recent infographic summarises the situation depicting the most popular destinations and the anticipated impact on receiving states.

On 24-25 October, at the Fourth Prague Process Ministerial Conference, Ministers and high-level officials from the Prague Process countries endorsed a Joint Declaration and Action Plan 2023-2027, which shall sustain and expand the Prague Process cooperation in the coming years. Organised by the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Prague, the conference allowed the Parties to discuss the most pressing migration issues and agree on a joint way forward in addressing them.

The new issue of the Quarterly Review is released mere days ahead of the Fourth Prague Process Ministerial Conference. Throughout the thirteen years of the Prague Process existence, its Parties continuously discuss the most pressing challenges and needs, facilitate timely exchanges and build their national and regional capacities in the area of migration and asylum. The dynamic migration realities and the multiple crises that bring about new risks and uncover system vulnerabilities require continuous commitment and enduring work. The last quarter has been no exception with the Prague Process implementing several activities and releasing new publications, which all feature in this Quarterly Review.

The Czech Republic is a country of immigration, emigration and transit; however, in-migration is two to three times larger than out-migration. As of 2014, positive net migration represents a primary component of population growth. In 2022, the population of the Czech Republic amounted to over 10.5 million persons, slightly declining from the peak of 10.7 million recorded in 2020.

France, one of the main migration destinations, has a two-century history of immigration due to the industrial and political revolutions. The country is projected to remain an attractive destination based on the Gallup potential net migration index. On 1 January 2022, France had a population of 67.8 million inhabitants. The net migration of 155.000 people contribute to nearly two-thirds of the population increase, which amounts to around 0.25% per year.

Italy is a long-standing country of emigration, while immigration has become a demographically significant phenomenon only in the early years of the 21st century. In 2006, the share of the foreign population in Italy exceeded 5%. Since then, the growth has slowed down, and the number of resident foreigners has remained virtually unchanged since 2013.

Page 9 of 37