khaberni - On 23 and 24 November 2022, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) organised the 5th International Border Management Conference in Amman under the Patronage of the Minister of Interior of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, H.E. Mazin Al Farrayeh, in the presence of the European Union Ambassador to Jordan, H.E. Maria Hadjitheodosiou, and ICMPD Director for Migration Dialogues and Cooperation, Mr. Martijn Pluim. It also included the participation of representatives of various border management departments from government agencies, international institutions and experts in the Mediterranean countries.
The conference is co-funded by the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Kingdom of Denmark via a number of projects and programmes implemented by ICMPD.
This conference aims to exchange experiences and expertise on advanced standards and best practices related to border security to enhance the operational capacity of all departments involved in the field of border security, with a focus on the integrated management approach.
H.E. the Minister of Interior, Mr. Mazin Al Farrayeh, stressed that "this important conference is a reflection of the European-Jordanian partnership, which is rooted in many sectors, and which had a great impact during the previous years in enhancing economic and security stability."
His Excellency also stated in his opening speech that this conference will help to enhance and raise the work efficiency of the directorates working in border security in an institutional and participatory manner. It is undoubtedly a key opportunity to exchange experiences, advanced standards and best practices in the field of border security, and their impact on many vital sectors such as trade, tourism, transportation, and other sectors.
EU Ambassador to Jordan, H.E. Maria Hadjitheodosiou, said “We believe that efficient border management facilitates legitimate cross-border movements of people and goods, and, at the same time, secures state borders, including by detecting transnational organized crime. I would also like to take this opportunity to recognise Jordan’s generosity in keeping its borders open and welcoming a large number of refugees, while remaining committed to ensuring the protection of its population.” Adding “Let me reassure you that the European Union is committed to continue supporting Jordan in its efforts to enhance and modernise its border management system.”
Based on the principle of “joint leadership and shared responsibility,” the conference intends to explore the potential of border management as an enabler of partnerships, capacity, security and development. With over 150 registered attendees, the conference fosters a thorough exchange of views, ideas and demand-driven solutions to the challenges and opportunities of integrated border management.
Border management is often presented reductively as one of the main obstacles to human mobility and freedom of movement. However, the border management domain is far more complex than it seems, and it actually works as a strong driver of development and cooperation. At the conference, across thematic roundtables and parallel sessions, high level representatives and experts from worldwide border management authorities presented their daily practices, experiences, achievements and recommendations on how to ensure a capacity-centred approach in border management as a key driver for better standards.
ICMPD strongly promotes professionalization and modernisation as key drivers for migration capacity partnerships along migration routes to address the global challenges and opportunities of the present and the future from a security, institutional and economic perspective. Improved cooperation and coordination provides added value to numerous sectors, from security to safeguarding human rights, from health to sanitary safety, from control of movements to trade facilitation and tourism. All speakers agreed that efficient and effective border management is essential to cope with today’s challenges and hybrid threats and such conferences are fundamental to guarantee that the latest knowledge available and mutual priorities are well communicated among all parties involved.
