A major centerpiece of bilateral relations
A very good bilateral cooperation in migration affairs between Nigeria and Switzerland has been ongoing for many years. It has been institutionalized by a Migration Partnership established between the two governments in February 2011, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) is the focal agency for migration issues and works closely with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) and the Sub-Saharan Africa and Francophonie Division (SAFD) of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) as well as the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
The main partners on the Nigerian side are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), as well as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Through the involvement of all competent authorities in Nigeria and Switzerland, the Migration Partnership can be implemented in a holistic and inclusive manner. At the annual meetings of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC), both countries engage with each other at a high level and ensure the presence of experts from various ministries. In addition, the Migration Partnership involves other relevant stakeholders such as international and civil society organizations and benefits from their expertise.
Over the first decade of the Swiss-Nigerian Migration Partnership, 50 innovative projects have been successfully implemented. Main areas of cooperation include the prevention of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants, sustainable return and reintegration, migration and development, promotion and protection of human rights, border management, prevention of irregular migration, and the promotion of regular migration. Capacity building and exchanges of best practices are also important components of the bilateral Migration Partnership.
10 years Migration Partnership: