Cooperation on mobility in the Levant: What are the future directions?

The project team for the EFFEXT project travelled to Beirut for a project workshop in close collaboration with the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut. The workshop included local researchers, policy-makers, and representatives from the IOM and EU and aimed to enable dialogue between different groups working on migration and refugee policy issues in the Levant. 

On the 9th December, we invited a number of local contacts working on migration-related issues to participate in closed panel discussions on: 

• Cooperation processes between the EU and Lebanon: How do they function?
  
  • Panelists: Sami Geadah (Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University Beirut, IFI), Ziad Abdel Samad (Arab NGO Network for Development, ANND), Rima Rassi (IFI). Chair: Cathrine Talleraas (CMI)
• Working with vulnerable groups in the MENA region: Impacts of migration policy on different groups
  
  • Panelists: Yara Mourad (IFI), Rabih Shibli (American University Beirut, AUB), Sari Hanafi (AUB), Fadel Fakih (Lebanese Centre for Human Rights, CLDH), Faysal El Kak (AUB). Chair: Are Knudsen (CMI)
• Policy-building through informal channels: Navigating changing policy landscapes
  
  • Panelists: Jamil Mouawad (AUB), Tania Haddad (AUB), Zeina Mohanna (AUB), Joseph Helou (Lebanese American University, LAU). Chair: Yara Mourad (IFI)
• Securitisation of migration: Common understandings, languages, aims
  
  • Panelists: Jasmine Lilian Diab (LAU), Nadim Farajallah (IFI),
    Ziad El Sayegh (Civic Influence Hub, CIH). Chair: Zoe Jordan (Centre for Development and Emergency Practice, CENDEP)
    

In addition, we hosted a public seminar (9 December, 17:00-19:00) titled Cooperation on mobility in the Levant: What are the future directions? 

Keynote: What are the current issues and policy processes in migration topics?

Speaker: Ziad Abdel Samad (CEO of the Arab NGO Network for Development, Lecturer at the Lebanese American University)

The keynote lecture was followed by a roundtable discussion on Local and regional needs for migration-related initiatives and EU/international funded instruments. The roundtable was moderated by Rima Rassi and Yara Mourad (both American University Beirut). They were joined by Are Knudsen (CMI), Luis Miguel Bueno Padilla (EU Arabic Spokesperson for MENA) and Tania Haddad (AUB).