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Refugee Protection & Migration
"Millions of people are on the move worldwide and we can only manage this if we act globally, in full partnership." High Representative / Vice President Federica Mogherini
For the past 10 years the EU has successfully deployed a CSDP military naval operation to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia. Today the threat of piracy has been minimised. At the same time the operation was tasked with monitoring fishing activity and reporting any illegal activity. Improved security conditions now allow communities to engage in fishing activities supported by EU and UN missions and initiatives.
Migration is a global challenge that requires a global response. On the occasion of the International Migrants Day, with over 258 million migrants worldwide, the European Union confirms its commitment to contribute to managing migration in a humane way. Through its partnership approach the EU works with countries of origin, transit and destination as well as international organisations to save lives, assist migrants and refugees, ensure the respect of their human rights as well as fight smugglers and traffickers.
According to the United Nations 1 out of every 30 people is a migrant. A bit less than half of the world's migrant population are women. Migration is a global phenomenon which requires common solutions – no country can manage it alone.
In the margins of the 5th AU-EU Summit the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations agreed to put in place a joint Taskforce to save and protect the lives of migrants and refugees along the routes and in particular inside Libya. Until today joint work by the AU, EU and UN has supported more than 39,000 migrants to return voluntarily to their countries of origin.
The Joint Valletta Action Plan, adopted by European and African leaders at the Migration Summit in 2015, framed the decision to respond together to migration into five priority domains. Since then common work has mobilised more than EUR 11.7 bn for more than 1,200 projects and policies.
Migration policy, report to the European parliament
