Type: Interregional forum on migration (Regions: Western Indian Ocean)

Formal association with regional or multi-stakeholder organization: Indian Ocean Commission (IOC)

Established: March 2020

Objectives

The Migration Dialogue for the Indian Ocean Commission Countries (MiDIOCC) is an RCP bringing together the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) Member States to address migration issues of common interest. 
Proposed by Senior Officials of the IOC Member States at a multi-stakeholder consultative meeting on 26-28 August 2019, the establishment of a MIDIOCC was endorsed at the 34th Session of IOC Council of Ministers on 6 March 2020.
The MIDIOCC will aim to:

  • initiate a forum for consultations and regular exchange of information, experiences and good practices on migration and other related issues of interest and common concerns, such as facilitating human mobility; promoting targeted labor mobility; integrated border management and the fight against transnational crimes; effects of climate change and environmental degradation;
  • enhance knowledge and foster a greater understanding and policy coherence by stakeholders of the migration phenomenon and migration dynamics in the IOC region, as well as policy coordination in this area;
  • build consensus among IOC Member States on migration and related issues;
  • enhance national and regional institutional and technical capacities for effective migration management in a collaborative and knowledge-based manner;
  • identify priority issues of common interest to IOC Member States focusing on technical cooperation, capacity building, migration-related information collection, dissemination and sharing.
  • enhance dialogue and cooperation on migration and related issues between the IOC Member States and, where necessary, other States from the region and Regional Economic Communities;
  • promote Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in accordance with the United Nations Agenda 2030, the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Global Compact for Migration.

Current Thematic Focus

Specific areas of discussion include:

  • Labor mobility and human development
  • Sustainable development of island states, including Small Island Developing States
  • Migration, environment and climate change
  • Integrated border management
  • Collection, analysis and information sharing on migration data
  • Migration and health
  • Free movement of people in the IOC area
  • Maritime security and safety
  • Migration, trade and tourism
  • Countering human smuggling and trafficking in human beings
  • Addressing irregular migration
  • Diaspora engagement for development

Chairing Country

  • Current Chair: MiDIOCC's operational modalities are yet to be determined; the ISCM has recently been approved and no Chair has yet been appointed.
Members

 

Indian Ocean Commission's Member States [5 Member States]:

  • Comoros
  • Madagascar
  • Mauritius
  • France/Department of Réunion
  • Seychelles
Meetings
  • August 26-28, 2020, Mahé, Seychelles, Consultative meeting towards the establishment of a migration dialogue for IOC countries
  • March 5-6, 2020, Beau Vallon, Seychelles, Endorsement of the creation of the MiDIOCC: 34th Session of IOC Council of Ministers
Documents