SERIES: EU Pact on Migration and Asylum On 1 June, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on the “Regulation establishing a common system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the Union”, commonly referred to as the Return Regulation. This legislative overhaul significantly alters how the European Union handles the return of third-country nationals without a legal right to stay. The European Council on Refugees

In July 2026, the HOC Centre in Ħal Far hosted a comprehensive digital media training program for AWAS (Agency for the Welfare of Asylum Seekers) participants, consisting of three sessions held on July 3rd, July 10th and July 17th, 2026. Led by a team of volunteers from African Media Association Malta (AMAM) - trainer Adam AKINLOLU, and coordinator Oluwatobiloba DADA - the program was designed to build practical, holistic skills in media literacy, storytelling and digital con

SERIES: EU Pact on Migration and Asylum In October 2020, a broad coalition of non-governmental organizations released a comprehensive joint statement expressing deep concern over the European Commission’s proposed Pact on Migration and Asylum. While the Commission presented the framework as a fresh start and a balanced compromise, the NGO community argued that the proposal failed to rectify the structural flaws of the existing European asylum system and threatened to severely

SERIES: EU Pact on Migration and Asylum The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum is presented by the European Union as a major reform of the European asylum system. Its official objective is to make migration management more efficient, predictable and harmonised across Member States. However, from a human rights perspective, the Pact raises serious concerns. In a statement published on 10 June 2026, the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) warned that the Pact may restri

A growing coalition of civil society organisations and business representatives has called on Parliament to postpone its final vote on Malta's proposed National Commission for Human Rights and Equality Bill, arguing that legislation of such constitutional importance should not be approved without meaningful public consultation. Malta Parliament House. Photo CC Pressure mounted on Wednesday after a coalition of 16 human rights organisations urged Equality Minister Rosianne Cut

SERIES: EU Pact on Migration and Asylum In the European Union, the passport a person holds can drastically alter their legal journey before their individual story is fully heard. With the implementation of the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, the bloc has introduced a standardized metric to filter and fast-track arrivals known as the 20% recognition rate threshold. Source screenshot: https://www.euaa.europa.eu/latest-asylum-trends-annual-analysis/annexes#key-first-instan

SERIES: EU Pact on Migration and Asylum The initial screening is the first step in the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, then comes several possible follow-up procedures. Screening is therefore not the final stage, but rather a sorting mechanism that determines what happens next to people arriving irregularly at the EU’s external borders. This article focuses on the three main procedures that may follow screening: the regular asylum procedure, the asylum border procedure

SERIES: EU Pact on Migration and Asylum The European Pact on Migration and Asylum introduces a new screening procedure for certain third-country nationals arriving in the European Union. Although it may sound like a simple administrative step, screening is one of the most important parts of the Pact. It determines what happens immediately after a person arrives at the EU’s borders, and which procedure they will be directed to next. Representation of the screening procedure (S

Visitors to this year’s Malta International Food Festival will have the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of African cultures through music, storytelling, languages, traditional crafts and cuisine as African communities take part in the festival’s Intercultural Area on 6 August. People interacting at the African stand. Picture from the year 2025 edition of Malta Food Festival. Photo AMAM The participation forms part of the festival’s intercultural programm

SERIES: EU Pact on Migration and Asylum After years of complex negotiations, the European Union has adopted the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum that entered in vigour on 12 June 2026. Representation of the 4 pillars (Source: European Commission Migration and Home Affairs) This landmark agreement is built on four fundamental pillars : The first pillar secures the EU’s external borders to manage arrivals effectively. All individuals crossing irregularly will undergo mandatory

Every generation inherits something. For many first-generation migrants, the greatest legacy may not be what we accumulate for ourselves, but the starting point we intentionally create for those who come after us. Not all journeys begin from the same starting line. Living and working alongside both migrant and local communities has reminded me that while talent, determination, and hard work matter immensely, the opportunities available at the beginning of life's journey often

SERIES: ANTI RACISM STRATEGY MALTA Action Plan 10: Monitoring and implementation Malta’s anti-racism strategy incorporates strong monitoring and accountability mechanisms, including regular reviews, annual reporting, and international oversight to ensure effective implementation and continuous improvement. CC Picture What is Action 10 about? To ensure that the goals set out in the National Action Plan Against Racism translate into tangible outcomes, the government has establi

Series: The Root Causes of Migration Belgian authorities are raising alarms over a surge in migrant smuggling along their coastline as traffickers shift operations away from northern France. Driven by intensified police patrols and tighter border security on the French side, smugglers are increasingly launching small boats from Belgian beaches to cross the English Channel to the UK. The numbers reflect a stark shift: while Belgium recorded only two attempted boat crossings i

SERIES: ANTI RACISM STRATEGY MALTA Action Plan 9: Research Malta’s anti-racism plan strengthens evidence-based policymaking by investing in research to better understand systemic racism, hate speech, racial profiling, and their wider social and economic impacts. CC Picture, source: Pexels.com What is Action 9 about? To address a systemic problem effectively, a society must first develop a deep understanding of its scope, root causes, and tangible impacts. Recognising that dat

Human trafficking remains a severe human rights violation that often operates invisibly within our communities. To bring this critical issue to light, the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) hosted a Human Trafficking Public Awareness Day on the 26th of June 2026. What happens in the mind of a personnel trafficked? African Media Association Malta. All rights reserved Held directly in front of the Qawra Parish C

As the European Union enters a new phase in the implementation of its migration and asylum framework, an information session organised by UNHCR offered an important space for learning and clarification. Held on 24 June 2026, the session focused on the Pact on Migration and Asylum, which entered into application on 12 June 2026 across EU Member States. Picture of the session. Photo credit: @unhcrmalta, sourced from their Facebook. The event brought together organisations inter

Several weeks after the deaths of eleven people, several of whom are believed to have originated from Ethiopia and Somalia, their families continue to face a complex process to have their loved ones officially identified. Without DNA confirmation, some risk remaining anonymous even in death. Addolorata cemetery, Paola. Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0 On 7 June, eleven migrants lost their lives at sea off Malta after their vessel s

They speak Maltese, celebrate village festas and cheer for Malta's national teams. Yet for some children growing up on the island, there is one thing they still do not have: a nationality. activists from Moviment Graffitti, Dance Beyong Borders and other groups presenting the "Ending Child Statelessness in Malta" white paper in Valletta on June 30th. Photo AMAM Michael was born in Malta nineteen years ago. He attended public and church schools, served as an abbati, played foo