Fifty-eight organisations, movements and collectives have signed the Cotonou Manifesto for Freedom of Movement, calling for an end to the externalisation of border controls, the closure of detention centres and greater protection for people on the move.

The manifesto was developed collectively through the Migration Village at the recently held World Social Forum in Cotonou, Benin. It was authored and led by survivors of migration routes and supported by organisations working on migration, human rights and freedom of movement.

Titled “Our Bodies Are Not Your Borders,” the manifesto brings together victims, survivors, families, activists and organisations that said they were committed to dismantling what they described as a racist migration regime.

The signatories said many survivors had experienced deadly desert crossings, prisons, detention centres, deportation flights, pushbacks, racist attacks, abductions at sea, enslavement and other forms of inhumane treatment. They argued that the suffering and deaths of migrants had increasingly been used to justify restrictive migration policies.

The groups accused the European Union of being at the forefront of policies that externalise border controls into Africa, saying European governments have funded and supported governments, coastguards, militias, detention systems and surveillance infrastructure to prevent migrants from reaching European territory.

They specifically cited cooperation with countries including Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Niger, Mauritania and Senegal, arguing that such arrangements had transformed parts of Africa into places of detention and danger for migrants. Libya, they said, had become a “laboratory” for the system.

The manifesto also criticised the role of Frontex, accusing the European Border and Coast Guard Agency of contributing to pushbacks and facilitating the interception of refugee boats. It further criticised what it described as the extension of Europe’s migration security apparatus into African countries.

The organisations also expressed concern about the role of international agencies, including the International Organisation for Migration and UNHCR, arguing that terms such as “risk analysis,” “border management” and “voluntary return” can conceal policies aimed at tracking, containing and deporting migrants before they reach their intended destinations.

African governments were also criticised. The signatories said African states could not continue portraying themselves solely as victims of European migration policies while accepting funding to police Europe’s borders and participating in the detention, deportation and abandonment of Africans on the continent.

They also accused the African Union of failing to adequately respond to the treatment of African migrants and said the continent’s commitment to free movement remained severely restricted.

The manifesto called for an end to the externalisation of border control, the closure of detention and so-called return centres, and effective access to asylum. It also urged states to honour international human rights and refugee protection commitments and called for survivors and families of migrants who died along migration routes to participate in institutions and negotiations affecting their lives.

The signatories further called for freedom of movement and the right of people to choose where they live and travel safely. They demanded the abolition of visa systems, arguing that these systems disproportionately burden people from the Global South.

According to the manifesto, freedom of movement would promote economic, social and cultural ties between countries and peoples, while strengthening women’s and gender minorities’ ability to seek safety and freedom. The signatories also linked free movement to Pan-African unity and decolonisation.

The groups said migrants and their allies would continue building transnational networks and solidarity structures to challenge restrictive border systems and support people on the move.

The manifesto concluded with a series of declarations, including: “Our forced migration is not your invasion,” “Human beings are not your bargaining chips,” “Our bodies are not Europe’s borders,” and “Our lives are not Africa’s currency.”

Among the 58 signatories are Refugees in Libya, WatchTheMed Alarm Phone, Migreurop, SOSAPROFEM, Southern Africa Migration Network, Voice of Migrants Association, Female Returned Migrant Network, Migrants Lives Matter, Advocates Female Migrants Initiative and several other African, European and international organisations.

The manifesto said the Migration Village at the World Social Forum in Cotonou represented another step toward strengthening cooperation among movements and survivors in the continuing campaign for freedom of movement.

The manifestor was authored and led by survivors. 

Supported by the following organizations, movements and collectives:

1. Advocates Female Migrants initiative (Nigeria)

2. Afrique-Europe Interact (transnational network)

3. Al Bawsala (Tunisia)

4. Alarme Phone Sahara

5. Alerte Migration Afrique (Burkina Faso)

6. Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies Program, San Francisco State University (USA)

7. Association des Mères des Disparus en Tunisie (Tunisia)

8. Association Éducation Togo (AET, Togo)

9. Association Malienne des Expulsés (AME, Mali)

10. Association Marocaine d’aide aux migrants en situation vulnérable (AMSV, Morocco)

11. Association Marocaine des droits humains (AMDH, Morocco)

12. Association Mauritanienne pour la Citoyenneté et le Développement (AMCD, Mauritania)

13. Association Nationale des Partenaires Migrants (ANPM, Senegal)

14. Association Togolaise des Expulsés (ATE, Togo)

15. Boza Fii (Senegal)

16. Caritas Dakar/PARI (Senegal)

17. Confédération générale autonome des travailleurs en Algérie (CGATA, Algeria)

18. Citoyennes Citoyens Debout Mauritanie (CCD, Mauritania)

19. Climáximo (Portugal)

20. Collective Against the Criminalization of Solidarity and Civic Engagement in Tunisia

21. Conseil des Migrants Subsahariens au Maroc (CMSM, Morocco)

22. CRID (France)

23. Direy Ben Gao/ RMSM (Mali)

24. Ebrima Migrant Situation Foundation (Gambia)

25. Female Returned Migrant network – FREMNET (Nigeria)

26. 50 Out of Many (Greece)

27. Groupe solidarité des groupements féminins au Togo

28. Jeunesses Nigérienne au Service du Développement Durable (JNSDD AIKIN KASA) (Niger)

29. KISA – Equality, Support, Antiracism (Cyprus)

30. Medico International

31. Mediterr

32. Migrants Lives Matter (Nigeria)

33. Migreurop (Euro-African network)

34. MV Louise Michel project

35. Network of Ex-Asylum Seekers – NEAS (Sierra Leone)

36. Network of People with Migration Experience (Nigeria)

37. Nomad 08 (Tunisia)

38. OGLMI – Terre de Liberté (Guinea)

39. ONG Opinion Éclairée (Ivory Coast)

40. ONG UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Benin)

41. Palestinian NGOs Network

42. Refugees in Libya (RiL)

43. Réseau Maghreb Sahel sur les Migrations

44. Réseau ROA-PRODMAC (African network)

45. Riposte internationale (Algeria)

46. Right2Protest Project Africa

47. Rootstv.tn (Tunisia)

48. Solidarités Asie France (SAF)

49. SOSAPROFEM (Senegal)

50. Southern Africa Migration Network (SAMIN)

51. Teaching Palestine: Pedagogical Praxis and the Indivisibility of Justice

52. trans-border.net Editorial Team

53. Un Monde Avenir (Cameroon)

54. Voice of Migrants Association – VOMA (Nigeria)

55. Voice of Talia Initiative Foundation (Nigeria)

56. WatchTheMed Alarm Phone

57. Welcome to Europe

58. We`ll Come United (Germany)

UN agency, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has airlifted core relief supplies to support affected communities in Venezuela following the devastating earthquake on 24 June 2026, which caused widespread damage and urgent humanitarian needs. 

“For families dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake, whether and when they receive initial assistance can make a big difference for how they are able to recover,” said Kim Eling, IOM Senior Director for Strategy and External Engagement. “Our partnership with DHL demonstrates how strategic collaboration with the private sector can help humanitarian organizations deliver essential assistance more quickly, ensuring affected communities receive the support they need when every moment counts.”

The humanitarian cargo was transported from IOM’s global stocks hub in Panama to Caracas on an in-kind cargo flight arranged and funded by DHL’s Disaster Response Team. The flight arrived at Simón Bolívar International Airport on 7 July 2026, carrying essential relief items, including jerry cans, solar lamps, and indoor privacy partitions, to support emergency shelter operations. 

The movement was coordinated through close collaboration between IOM, the Government of Venezuela, and the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Panama. This joint effort enabled efficient planning, rapid execution, and timely delivery of assistance to communities most affected by the earthquake. 

IOM sincerely thanks DHL’s Disaster Response Team for its generous in-kind logistics support, which was vital to the rapid mobilization and transport of IOM humanitarian supplies during this critical emergency. 

This operation highlights IOM’s continued commitment to preparedness, rapid emergency response, and effective humanitarian supply chain coordination, using strategic partnerships and global prepositioning capacities to deliver life-saving assistance to crisis-affected populations. 

International Organization for Migration (IOM) has  called on EU Member States to translate new migration reforms into practical, evidence-driven implementation, backed by strong partnerships and sustainable investment as Ireland prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) at a decisive moment for migration management, the

With implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and negotiations on the next long-term EU budget underway, IOM’s recommendations to the Irish EU Presidency outline four priority areas to help advance an effective and balanced migration agenda that supports the Presidency’s focus on competitiveness, security and values. 

“Ireland’s Presidency arrives as the EU has begun the process of turning hard-fought reforms into credible results on migration,” said Lukas Gehrke, Director of IOM’s Global Office in Brussels. “That means keeping implementation practical, balanced and grounded in evidence, while ensuring the next EU budget provides the predictable, sustained investment needed to respond to migration and displacement within and beyond the EU.” 

Migration trends show both progress and continuing challenges. While irregular arrivals to the EU have declined, the human cost along migration routes remains high, with the rate of fatalities in the Central Mediterranean underscoring persistent risks faced by migrants. At the same time, most migration to the EU continues through regular pathways, with millions of residence permits issued annually for work, family, and education, reflecting migration’s essential role in addressing labour market needs and competitiveness.   

Against this backdrop, IOM’s recommendations call for strengthened evidence-driven migration governance to support more anticipatory and coordinated responses. This includes reinforcing data systems, foresight analysis, and early warning capacities to better understand evolving migration dynamics shaped by global crises, climate change, and shifting mobility patterns.  

As EU Member States are actively involved in putting in place new systems and procedures for the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the Irish Presidency will have a key role in facilitating practical solutions, addressing possible bottlenecks, and supporting a phased and flexible rollout that reflects diverse national contexts while maintaining common standards.  

IOM stresses the need to advance a comprehensive approach to migration governance within the EU that balances border management, asylum, and return systems with strong support for integration, protection safeguards and respect for fundamental rights. This includes promoting fair and efficient return procedures, strengthening digitalization efforts, and improving coordination among Member States and EU agencies to ensure effective implementation.  

The recommendations also highlight the importance of reinforcing the external dimension of EU migration policy through strategic partnerships with partner countries. Strengthening cooperation along migration routes, supporting countries of origin and transit, and promoting safe and regular migration pathways will be essential to address root causes, reduce irregular movements, and foster shared responsibility.  

Given increasing global displacement driven by conflict, instability, and climate-related hazards, IOM calls for migration to be fully integrated into broader EU policy frameworks, including development, climate action, and humanitarian assistance.  

Anticipating and responding to climate-related mobility, in particular, will require forward-looking, cross-sectoral approaches that link migration policy with resilience-building and adaptation strategies.  

IOM’s recommendations further highlight the strategic importance of labour mobility and skills partnerships in addressing EU labour shortages and enhancing economic competitiveness. Initiatives such as the EU Talent Pool and Talent Partnerships offer opportunities to expand regular migration pathways while ensuring fair and ethical recruitment practices and protection of migrant rights.  

Drawing on its global operational footprint and its presence across EU Member States and partner countries, IOM reiterates its commitment to supporting the Irish Presidency and EU Member States in advancing a pragmatic and principled migration agenda.