The nature of immigration to the UE has changed dramatically over the last decade, often as a direct consequence of the processes of globalisation. Immigration from sub-Saharan area and from outside Africa will bring new threats from communicable diseases to the health system in European and North African countries that are along the border with the Mediterranean sea especially Spain in the North and Morocco in the South.

The specific objectives of the SSA project entiled “Impact of Immigration on HIV and Tuberculosis Epidemiology in the Mediterranean Area” is to develop the capacity of the countries involved in this project as a Consortium (Morocco and Spain and other European and North African countries invited) to survey Tuberculosis and HIV disease transmitted through subsaharian and other immigrations.

To meet the objectives, the project proposes to hold 2 workshops to bring together the consortium members accompanied by stakeholders: delegates of international and national NGOs concerned with the process, health professionals and representatives of health programmes, researchers, delegates of United nations Agencies and other decision makers. The two workshops aim to review:

1. the surveillance and epidemiological issues and the laboratory diagnosis concerning tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS disease considering immigration factor

2. the ethical issues related to health for immigrant population

3. the specific requirements to take into consideration for improving the epidemiologic surveillance of HIV and tuberculosis diseases in immigrant population.

The first workshop that will be held in Rabat November 5-7^th, 2007  aims to establish the state of the art for each of the countries involved in the SSA project

1) in epidemiological issues concerning tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS issues in overall population and in immigrant population including epidemiological surveillance, laboratory diagnosis and risk factors analysis,

2) in demographic issues concerning the population trends and the regular and irregular migration flows.

A methodology book and guidelines for publication and dissemination of the 2 workshops outcomes will be prepared.