Recent years have seen a marked change in international migration. As a result of increased mobility, easy access to information and means of communication migration has become more complex and global. Even if the causes of migration – poverty, wars, violations of human rights, economic crises and climate change – have remained fundamentally unchanged, the extent of migratory movements and their global interlinkages have, nonetheless, led to a much greater degree of complexity. In order to meet the challenges posed by this development Switzerland has created the innovative instrument of migration partnerships.

Within the scope of these migration partnerships the current aim is to approach migration comprehensively and to achieve an equitable balance between the interests of Switzerland, its partner country and the migrants themselves (win-win-win). These partnerships give the possibility to find constructive solutions to the challenges posed by migration, to promote opportunities as well as to create synergies between the different players involved in migration policy.
 

 
The concept of the migration partnerships is set out in article 100 of the Federal Law on Foreigners, which charges the Federal Council to promote bilateral and multilateral migration partnerships with other countries. Migration partnerships are designed to be long-term and to continue for as long as it benefits the partner States. They are formalised either by means of a treaty (binding agreement under international law) or by a memorandum of understanding (non-binding agreement under international law or letter of intent).
 

 
The content of a migration partnership is flexible and varies from one partnership to the next, since it reflects the specific interests of the particular partners. Essential aspects of migration partnerships include projects and programmes that have a concrete bearing on questions related to immigration and emigration, such as, for instance, in the following areas:

• Promotion of voluntary return and reintegration
   
• Strengthening of state structures in the country of origin (e.g. support to immigration authorities)
   
• Prevention of irregular migration (e.g. through information campaigns about the risks and the possibilities)
   
• Legal migration (e.g. visa policy as well as education and training)
   
• Support in the fight against human trafficking
   
• Migration and development (e.g. increasing the efficiency of remittances from migrants in the country of origin; encouraging the diaspora to make a contribution to the development of its country of origin)
   
• Integration of migrants in the host country

As part of a global approach migration partnerships can also encompass other foreign policy activities of relevance to issues of migration (e.g. promotion of civilian peacekeeping, promotion of human rights, social security agreement).
 

 
In concrete terms the conclusion of a migration partnership is intended to ensure a coherent Swiss migration policy (“whole of government approach”) that operates in the interests of all partners by promoting the positive sides of migration whilst also providing a constructive framework within which to solve the challenges it poses (partnership approach).
 

 
The leading actors in the conclusion of a migration partnership are, in particular, the Federal Office for Migration (FOM) of the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) and the Political Affairs Division IV (PA IV) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). As part of the concrete implementation process, additional partners from both within the Federal Administration (e.g. SDC and SECO) and from outside are, or could be, involved.
 

 
In 2009 talks began in relation to the conclusion, respectively the concretisation, of migration partnerships in the West Balkans (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo) and in Nigeria.