October 4, 2005

The "Amman Process" network, initiated in 1996 between the MECC, Southern European churches, the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) to exchange information and experiences on refugee and migration issues around the Mediterranean, held its annual meeting in Amman, Jordan from September 15-18, 2005. Representatives of churches, church-related and ecumenical networks from Europe and the Middle East, CCME, UNHCR and the WCC/Middle East desk met to discuss common refugee and migration issues, from their regional perspectives and to evaluate their collaboration.

Migration, warehousing and trafficking in Europe and the Middle East were on the agenda, the negative role played by the media in misinterpreting the Middle East to the Western world as well as the failure of the ME Peace Process. The meeting highlighted the restrictions of European migration policies, increasingly reinforcing border control and shifting responsibility for asylum and resettlement to countries outside Europe.

The evaluation of the "Amman Process" questioned the effectiveness of annual meetings in fulfilling its aims and objectives. Discussions were followed by recommendations which included, among others, the need for new responsibilities, strategies, methodologies and mechanisms for a more dynamic Process that is more inclusive and participatory in order to better respond to the emerging problems of migration and policies. The "Amman Process" should be translated to wider circles with an extended membership within Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and communication should be improved for a better exchange of information among network members. For more information, kindly contact Ms. Seta Hadeshian at: meccls@cyberia.net.lb.

Middle East Council of Churches