Regional Conference on Enhancing Migration Data Collaboration
The Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) at The American University in Cairo, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional and Country Offices in MENA and Egypt, co-hosted a regional conference titled “Collaborative Dialogue: Enhancing Migration Data through Shared Knowledge.”
The conference was held within the framework of the IOM–CMRS collaboration through the Egyptian Migration Hub (EHUB) — a strategic coordination platform that fosters stakeholder engagement across Egypt and the region. EHUB forms part of the EU-funded project “Strengthening Migration Data and Statistics Ecosystem in Egypt.”
The event opened with welcoming remarks from:
- Ibrahim Awad, Professor of Practice and CMRS Director
- Karim Abul-Enien, Minister Plenipotentiary, Head of Migration, Refugees and Anti-Trafficking Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt
- Carlos Oliver-Cruz, Chief of Mission, IOM Egypt
- Alaa Dridi, Research Officer, IOM MENA Regional Office
Over three days, the conference gathered more than 30 academics, statisticians, and researchers, along with representatives from key regional and national institutions engaged in migration data management.
Regional Representation included:
- Arab Migration Observatory (AMO)
- League of Arab States (LAS)
- STATAFRIC (African Union Institute for Statistics)
- IOM MENA
National Representation included:
- High Commission for Planning (HCP), Morocco
- National Migration Observatory (ONM), Tunisia
- University of Tunis
- National Institute of Labour and Social Studies of Tunisia
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt
- Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), Egypt
- Cairo University
- The American University in Cairo (CMRS and Department of Economics)
- IOM Egypt
Throughout the sessions, participants discussed common challenges, exchanged insights, and proposed practical solutions to enhance collaboration and regional cooperation on migration data. The interactive discussions concluded with actionable recommendations and a shared commitment to strengthen future cooperation among participating countries and institutions.