The December 2018 Global Compact on Refugees reaffirmed the international community's commitment to refugee protection - yet willingness to accept refugees is in decline globally. No progress has been seen in the search for viable modes of responsibility-sharing. With the exception of Germany,...

Returning migrants without legal residence status to their countries of origin is high on the political agenda of Germany and the European Union. As well as seeking to increase the number of returns, policy efforts in this area also serve a symbolic function: They demonstrate that the state is...

In Germany there is broad agreement that rejected asylum seekers and other persons obliged to leave the country should do so as soon as possible. Deportations, however, are complex, expensive and particularly controversial when the country of origin's political and security situation is fragile...

Record numbers of violent conflicts are causing growing needs for humanitarian aid, especially in situations of forced displacement. Given the scarcity of resources, many actors seek to provide more effective, efficient and needs-based support. That is also the objective of the humanitarian,...

Record numbers of violent conflicts are causing growing needs for humanitarian aid, especially in situations of forced displacement. Given the scarcity of resources, many actors seek to provide more effective, efficient and needs-based support. That is also the objective of the humanitarian,...

The European Commission has announced plans to present a new 'Pact on Migration and Asylum' during the German EU Council Presidency. It is expected to provide im­petus for the long-overdue reform of the Common European Asylum System, for the strengthening of the EU's external borders, and for...

The international debate on migration policy increasingly views cities as game changers since cities have to find rapid, efficient, and lasting solutions to problems relating to forced displacement and migration. However, this assessment also has its critics. From a European perspective,...

In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly is due to adopt a 'Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration' and a 'Global Compact on Refugees'. These initiatives are intended to give new momentum to the international cooperation in refugee and migration policy. The first...

More and more people are forcibly displaced for longer and longer. An increasingly large number of them find refuge in cities instead of camps. Although this offers opportunities for local integration, it places a heavy burden on city administrations and rarely corresponds to the wishes of host...

The Covid-19 pandemic has made policy-makers aware of the challenges of maintaining quality health care in times of crisis. Strengthening health systems is the key to meeting these challenges. The implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), agreed in...