Albania is a good example of how countries can use the MGI results to support positive policy change. Through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society discussion on migration, the MGI helped the Government of Albania assess the comprehensiveness of its migration governance structures and identify gaps to be addressed in its new National Strategy on Migration 2019–2022.

Before this strategy, Albania did not have a comprehensive migration policy in place since 2010, neither a comprehensive assessment of the migration situation and dynamics in the country.

The MGI assessment served as a baseline and informed the development of the strategy, offering insights on policy levers that Albania can action to strengthen migration governance. The new Strategy was developed in line with the MGI recommendations, such as better labour migration policy, intensifying collaboration and partnerships on migration governance as well as improve protection of migrant rights and integration.  

As recommended by the MGI assessment, the Strategy was widely consulted with stakeholders and groups of interest. Consultation round tables were organized with civil society, academia, private business as well as donors and development partners.

Improving migration policies of Albania to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration is a crucial step to improving migration governance, as part of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the MGI is a critical tool in this regard.

IOM in Albania is supporting the implementation of the Strategy and consequently the recommendations of the MGI. In addition, IOM is looking into mobilizing resources to conduct migration forecasts as well as assess the impact of migration to the domestic labour market, in line with MGI recommendations.

IOM Albania will rely on the MGI assessment to assess the impact of the strategy in the first years of implementation and inform eventual revisions to the strategy and future policy.

Watch Program Coordinator Genci Pjetri share his MGI experience:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfCZBg52Ub0&t=2s