On 15 January, Secretary General Alain Berset informed the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers about his decision to consolidate and intensify the Organisation's efforts to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the continent today.
Recognising the need for stability and continuity, a dedicated Division on Migration and Refugees has been established within the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) effective February 2025. This new division will ensure the seamless continuation of activities outlined in the Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025).
The Division on Migration and Refugees is tasked with:
- Supporting member states in addressing migration and refugee issues, particularly through the Network of Focal Points on Migration.
- Continuing internal coordination through the Coordination Group on Migration.
- Cooperating with international partners, including United Nations entities (UNHCR, IOM, OHCHR), the European Union (FRONTEX, EUAA, FRA), other intergovernmental organisations, and major international civil society organisations.
Since the 2015 migration crisis, the Council of Europe's work in this area has been led by a Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG). Successive SRSGs have played a vital role in supporting member states, particularly in response to the largest displacement of people in Europe since World War II, caused by the Russian Federation's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.
The Secretary General expressed gratitude to David Best, the outgoing SRSG, for his contributions, as well as to his predecessors Tomáš Boček, Drahoslav Štefánek, and Leyla Kayacik.
