Contrasting migration dynamics are revealed this month, from Ziguinchor to Agadir, Ouaddaï to Tripoli and New York to Washington. We see a shift towards integration policies, cultural and sporting initiatives, alongside persistent humanitarian pressures and tightening migration policies in certain regions of the world.

The Ziguinchor region in southern  Senegal is notable for its proactive approach to tackling irregular migration. The Senegalese Press Agency (APS) has reported on the ongoing development of the Regional Committee for the Fight Against Irregular Migration’s operational action plan for the period 2025–2029. This strategic document focuses on the sustainable socio-economic integration of young people and aims to provide practical alternatives to emigration through training, employment and support for entrepreneurship.

Further east, in Chad, 100 Sudanese refugee lawyers have completed an intensive six-month training programme on the Chadian judicial system, its laws and current legal practices. Led by the Chadian Bar Association in partnership with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the programme aims to facilitate the refugees’ socio-economic integration by helping them to find employment in law firms and companies or set up their own legal practices. This initiative highlights the valuable contributions that refugees can make to their host countries.

Meanwhile, the Embassy of the Republic of Chad in New Delhi has issued a statement urging Chadian nationals residing in India to behave responsibly. Diplomatic authorities have reported an increase in recent complaints and requests relating to irregular stays or non-compliance with Indian immigration legislation.

In Geneva, the International Organisation for Migration and Morocco made a joint announcement, launching a Group of Friends on Sport and Migration. This new global platform uses sport to promote integration, strengthen social inclusion, empower migrants and encourage cooperation between states. Inspired by the principles of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, adopted in Marrakesh in 2018, the initiative aims to integrate sport into community inclusion policies in a sustainable way.

Libya remains at the heart of regional concerns about migration. The acting Libyan Minister of the Interior has estimated that managing the nearly three million migrants in Libya would cost $7.2 billion per annum. According to the authorities, this migratory pressure is putting a heavy strain on public finances, employment opportunities for Libyan youth, and the country’s energy resources. This is happening in a political context characterised by institutional fragmentation. Meanwhile, in Tripoli, the IOM has reaffirmed its commitment to providing Libya with ongoing technical and logistical support, advocating a coordinated approach to migration management that considers humanitarian, security and institutional factors.

In cultural news, the twenty-first edition of the International Cinema and Migration Festival was hosted in Agadir, Morocco. The event showcased a variety of feature-length and short films that explored the themes of migration journeys, the challenges they present and the aspirations they inspire. Once again, the festival proved to be a platform for reflection and alternative storytelling, offering artistic perspectives on migration that are frequently overlooked in mainstream political discourse.

Meanwhile, migration news in the United States has been dominated by a series of restrictive decisions. In New York, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Ronald Hicks, a bishop recognised for his commitment to migrants’ rights, to lead the archdiocese, replacing Cardinal Timothy Dolan. This symbolic appointment comes at a time of national tension, with the Trump administration having extended its ‘travel ban’ to seven new countries, mostly in Africa, as well as to Palestinian nationals, citing national security concerns.

Similarly, Washington ended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted to Ethiopian nationals, leaving almost 5,000 people without legal status and granting them just sixty days to leave the United States. This decision was made despite ongoing tensions in certain regions of Ethiopia and forms part of an increasingly restrictive migration policy that has been in place since the inception of Donald Trump’s second term.

Taken together, these developments highlight the wide range of approaches to migration, from integration strategies and cooperative initiatives to cultural expressions and restrictive policies. This diversity of responses emphasises that migration is a global, structural and highly political issue at the heart of contemporary debates.