L’ancien responsable de la politique et de l’évaluation au HCR, Jeff Crisp, s’est interrogé sur la représentation des migrants à la prochaine Conférence de Vienne sur les migrations 2026, demandant combien de migrants y participeront par rapport aux responsables chargés des affaires intérieures, de la sécurité et du contrôle des frontières.

Crisp a soulevé cette question en réaction à une publication du Centre international pour le développement des politiques migratoires (ICMPD), annonçant l’ouverture des inscriptions pour suivre en ligne sa conférence annuelle phare.

« Combien de migrants seront présents à cette conférence ? Et combien de responsables des affaires intérieures, de la sécurité et du contrôle des frontières ? », a écrit Crisp.

L’ICMPD a indiqué que la 11e édition de la Conférence de Vienne sur les migrations se tiendra les 16 et 17 novembre et réunira des décideurs de haut niveau, des praticiens et des experts d’Europe et d’ailleurs pour un échange de haut niveau sur les politiques migratoires.

Dans sa publication, l’organisation n’a pas précisé combien de migrants ou de représentants d’organisations dirigées par des migrants participeraient à la conférence.

L’intervention de Crisp attire l’attention sur la composition des forums consacrés aux politiques migratoires, notamment sur la mesure dans laquelle les personnes ayant une expérience directe de la migration y sont représentées aux côtés des responsables gouvernementaux et des professionnels des politiques migratoires.

La Conférence de Vienne sur les migrations est organisée chaque année par l’ICMPD, une organisation internationale qui travaille avec les gouvernements et d’autres parties prenantes sur les politiques migratoires et de mobilité.

La conférence de 2026 doit se tenir à Vienne, avec un accès en ligne disponible pour les participants inscrits.    

Former UNHCR policy chief Jeff Crisp has questioned the representation of migrants at the forthcoming Vienna Migration Conference 2026, asking how many migrants will participate compared with officials responsible for interior affairs, security and border control.

Crisp raised the question in response to a post by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) announcing that registration had opened for the livestream of its annual flagship conference.

“How many migrants will be at this conference? And how many officials from the interior, security and border control establishment?” Crisp wrote.

ICMPD said the 11th edition of the Vienna Migration Conference will be held on November 16 and 17, bringing together senior decision-makers, practitioners and experts from Europe and beyond for a high-level exchange on migration policy.

The organisation did not indicate in the post how many migrants or representatives of migrant-led organisations would participate in the conference.

Crisp’s intervention draws attention to the composition of migration-policy forums, particularly the extent to which people with direct experience of migration are represented alongside government officials and policy practitioners.

The Vienna Migration Conference is organised annually by ICMPD, an international organisation that works with governments and other stakeholders on migration and mobility policy.

The 2026 conference is scheduled to take place in Vienna, with livestream access available to registered participants.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has expressed concerns over  Malaysia’s recent return of 1,476 people to Myanmar amid the country’s continuing conflict and dire human rights and humanitarian situation.

The UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Edem Wosorn., in a statement said: “We are concerned by these returns at a time when people sent back to Myanmar may face serious risks, and some within the group may be in need of international protection.

 “While authorities say the returns are voluntary, those returned had been held in immigration detention. This raises serious questions about whether decisions to return were genuinely free and informed. UNHCR did not have access to the individuals to assess this.”

UNHCR said it fully recognizes Malaysia’s sovereign responsibility to manage asylum and migration. However, it urged Malaysia to ensure that all returns are subject to robust safeguards, including individual assessments and access to protection procedures. Decisions to return must be voluntary and assessed outside detention settings.

Under the principle of non-refoulement, no one should be returned to a country where they may face persecution, torture or other serious threats to their life or freedom.

Until conditions in Myanmar allow for safe, dignified and sustainable returns, States must continue to provide access to asylum and uphold international protection obligations.

UNHCR added that it remains ready to work with Malaysia to strengthen national asylum and protection arrangements.

“Greater regional and international support is needed to advance a political solution to the crisis and end the hostilities in Myanmar. UNHCR calls on the international community to maintain support for countries in the region hosting refugees from Myanmar.”