News
07.10.2021

Executive Education hosts virtual study visit to Berlin and Brussels for senior African Union staff

The training course on migration was the second part of a programme held with the GIZ, which began in November 2020.

In the second part of a study programme offered by the Hertie School’s Executive Education Team, senior-level African Union Commission (AUC) staff based in Addis Ababa attended a two-day virtual “study visit” to Berlin and Brussels. The programme offered officials a chance for exchange with stakeholders at relevant institutions of the European Union, the German government and related organisations like think tanks, NGOs and international institutions.

It is part of the project, “Support to the African Union on Migration and Displacement”, sponsored by the German development agency GIZ.

Because migration policy involves many different areas of policymaking and departments – from Health and Humanitarian Affairs, Peace and Security, Economic Affairs, Women, Gender and Development, to name just a few – the AUC in 2018 set up a Coordination Committee to develop and strengthen migration policy frameworks. The Executive Education programme, which was held online due to pandemic restrictions, offered participants a chance to share best practices and experiences with each other and other international experts on migration.

“There was a lively exchange of ideas between AUC staff members and their European counterparts in the discussion rounds, showing that there is a deep interest in and need for such exchange on migration governance practices across continents,” said Susan Gössling, Project Coordinator on the Executive Education team at the Hertie School.  

27 participants, many from AUC departments, along with representatives of the AU Permanent Missions to the EU and the United Nations, and staff from the German Development Agency GIZ, took part. They connected with representatives of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), Members of the German Parliament and political foundations, the EU Commission and the EU’s European External Action Service as well as NGO representatives. Hertie School Senior Fellow Rolf Alter moderated the programme.

The first part of the course was held in November 2020, with a training focusing on cross-departmental cooperation, delivering outputs with member states and effecting policy change.

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