Nordic roundtable discussion on the migration–development nexus

EMN Sweden organised a Nordic roundtable discussion entitled “Strategic Alignment of Migration and Development Policies in Return and Reintegration” in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Swedish Ministry of Justice. The focus was on sharing experience regarding the link between migration and development in the context of return and the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.

On 8 December 2025, EMN Sweden, together with the OECD and the Swedish Ministry of Justice, hosted a joint Nordic roundtable discussion in Stockholm on the link between migration and development cooperation from a return perspective. Representatives of the Netherlands had also been invited. In addition to the exchange of knowledge and experience between the Nordic countries, two reports on the subject were also presented.

Background

In autumn 2024, EMN published the inform “Migration and Development Cooperation”, which highlights the link between migration and development cooperation and how EMN Member Countries and Serbia are addressing the issue. The report also provides insights into how the migration-development nexus can be used and integrated into the national framework for international development cooperation.

The Nordic High-Level Consultative Group on Refugee Issues (NSHF) commissioned the OECD to conduct a study in 2025 on how migration and development in the context of return and reintegration are, or could be, aligned with national migration policy, and how international development cooperation could be more closely involved in return efforts. Over the course of the day, the methods used by the Nordic countries and the Netherlands to shape return and reintegration policy were described. The OECD presented a series of action points and recommendations.

Some insights from the roundtable discussion

Representatives of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands gained insights and a better understanding of how other Nordic countries work with the humanitarian assistance agenda – not least in connection with the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and cooperation with third countries. Efforts to address challenges and adapt policy measures in international development cooperation were discussed extensively during the day.

“During discussions, participants gained a deeper understanding of how national migration management and development cooperation policy can be interwoven through concrete Nordic examples. This remains a challenging area for all participating countries, but it is clear that focus today continues to be on the extent to which a state can be said to grant itself room for interpretation in relation to the OECD-DAC regulatory and policy framework.

It can be said that several participating countries are still moving their way forward, and that collaboration between EMN Sweden and the OECD has today offered them precisely such a forum — where they have had the opportunity, in an informal setting, to challenge the regulations and ask questions that they might otherwise not dare to ask.”, says Hugo Rickberg, EMN Sweden’s coordinator.

Sweden continues to make progress two years after the reform agenda for Swedish development assistance was introduced through bilateral cooperation, strengthened inter-agency collaboration and continuous monitoring. This strategy integrates migration policy more closely with development cooperation. Specific geographical priorities have now been identified.