Since 2015, the French asylum and immigration landscapes have been through major changes subsequent to the global mixed migration flows, European immigration and asylum policies, and increased citizen mobilization in the aftermath of the so-called "refugee crisis". In order to analyze theses changes, Ifri created the Observatory on Immigration and Asylum in 2018.
The Observatory on Immigration and Asylum is a forum of dialogue and cooperation between state and non state actors in the fields of reception and integration of migrants and refugees. The Observatory offers a place for exchange, expertise, a laboratory for innovation and building new solutions to address the needs of migrants and refugees. The Observatory’s objective is to initiate synergies of skills and resources notwithstanding each actor policy position and scope of action.
The Observatory brings together migrants, refugees, advocacy NGOs, not for profit service providers, groups of volunteers and not for profit “start-ups”. The Observatory supports the promotion and development of initiatives to achieve greater efficiency and sustainability. Relevant ministries, local authorities, corporate and philanthropic foundations are also involved in the Observatory’s activities.
This place of dialogue and expertise offers:
Moreover, the Observatory organises working meetings on specific topics, such as the private sponsorship of refugees. It coordinates a network of corporate foundations that come together to support innovation in the fields of reception and integration. The Observatory’s team members can also make contributions for NGOs and higher education institutions. The Observatory on immigration and asylum also works in partnership with Guiti News, an online media offering an Franco-Refugee perspective on immigration and asylum issues.
Senior research fellow, Director of Ifri's Center for Migration and Citizenship
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Research Fellow, Center for Migration and Citizenship
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The striking rise in the arrivals of refugees and migrants in 2015 shed light on many shortcomings in offering a shared vision of the right of asylum in Europe. If Europe has a longstanding and rich history of migration that has contributed to shape the continent, the memory of this history is...
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Europe has a longstanding history of migration that has contributed to shape the continent. However, memory of this history is hardly referred to in the debates concerning asylum and migration issues today.Europe has a longstanding history of migration that has contributed to shape the...
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Smaller municipalities and rural areas can be places where refugees are welcomed and where they can integrate more easily. People living in rural areas are very proud of their towns and often make an effort to mobilize and include newcomers in their communities.
Matthieu Tardis, Research Fellow at the Centre for Migration and Citizenship at the French Institute for International Relations (Ifri), describes how small towns and rural areas are welcoming refugees and enabling them to settle.
