Mediterranean Strategy Group - Migration: Cities on the Frontline

Organized by The German Marshall Fund of the United States in partnership with the Center for Mediterranean Integration, Compagnia di San Paolo and Policy Center for the New South

For all their differences, Mediterranean cities on the northern and southern shore have always been on the frontline of mixed migration flows. As most people choose to settle in urban areas, the proportion of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons in cities is higher than for national territories. Thus, while migration is a global, transboundary phenomenon, its effects are felt most profoundly on the city level, turning cities and local governments into key stakeholders on the international scene.

The purpose of the meeting is to provoke new thinking on how cities, national governments and international organizations can best engage with each other in recognizing and reacting to these macro-level issues, and whether and whether policy decisions at the urban level shape developments on a regional level. Key questions to be addressed include: How are Mediterranean cities impacted by mixed migration (socio-economic, security)? Governance: what policies are in place to address these challenges and to what extend are they effective? To what extent does what happens on the city level impact regional developments, and how?

This event is taking place in Marseille, France