Funded through the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) Work Programmes for Union Actions, the Regional Development and Protection Programme for North Africa (RDPP NA) was set up in 2015 with the aim of strengthening the protection of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and improving their living conditions.

The main objective of the Programme is to support third countries in North Africa and across the Central Mediterranean route to consolidate their migration and asylum systems and build capacities to provide adequate reception, access to international protection and durable solutions within mixed movements contexts.

The Programme is managed by the Italian Ministry of Interior – Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration, leader of the RDPP NA Consortium composed of EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden).

The Steering Committee is a forum for consultation, strategic direction and oversight on RDPP issues based on consensus, co-chaired by DG HOME and Italy.

In addition to the chair, the Steering Committee comprises the representatives of the EC, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), Member States and associated as well as the Programme’s implementing partners.

The 2005 Communication on ‘Regional Protection Programmes’ (COM (2005) 388) brought forward Regional Protection Programmes (RPP) as a new EU approach to the international protection regime. The Programmes were developed by the European Commission in close collaboration with EU Member States, and in partnership with the countries of origin, transit and first asylum.

Following the Valetta summit in 2015, and its action plan, the RPP developed into the Regional Development and Protection (RDPP), with the aim to further reinforcing the protection of refugees and other displaced persons, uphold the human rights of all migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers and strengthen capacities of countries of first asylum, transit and destination.

Specifically, the North Africa window of the RDPP (RDPP NA) represents an important aspect of the EC’s engagement and dialogue with the partner countries as part of the external dimension of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, namely that of supporting other countries hosting migrants, refugees and host communities to better manage migration in all its aspects and ultimately contribute to enhancing migrants’ access to rights.

The Programme involves practical actions related to improving general protection in the host countries, establishing an effective procedure for determining refugee status, building capacity and training on protection, providing direct assistance to vulnerable migrants and refugees including minors and victims of trafficking, and support measures benefiting the hosting communities.

Since 2016, the RDPP NA has funded 73 projects in Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Tunisia, with a total amount of 92,6 million euros (82.5million funded by EU AMIF funds and 9.1 million funded by Italy, Czech Republic, Norway, and Austria).