News

Policy level dialogue held in Astana under the auspices of the Almaty Process

Policy level dialogue held in Astana under the auspices of the Almaty Process

The Almaty Process on Refugee Protection and International Migration held its 3rd Senior Officials Meeting in Astana on 20 September of 2016. The meeting, titled “Addressing Mixed Migration Flows in Central Asia: Human Mobility, Rights of Vulnerable Migrants and Refugees and Regional Cooperation” marked the handover of Chair from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kyrgyz Republic, the next Chair of the Almaty Process, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The meeting was hosted by the Library of the First President of Kazakhstan (Nazarbayev Center), attended by delegations of Almaty Process member States and observer States as well as the United Nations Agencies and other international organizations and partners.

The meeting strengthened the links between states in addressing the challenges of mixed migration flows in Central Asia, and the broader region. The meeting, on the 19 September, also shared a study on migrant vulnerabilities and integration needs in Central Asia as an integral part of human mobility challenges, rights for vulnerable migrants and refugees and regional cooperation.

On international refugee protection, participating States reaffirmed their commitment to advance in developing concrete regional methodologies and guidelines on how to identify and refer asylum seekers and refugees at their border crossing and entry points. It was also recognized that migration policy and alternative stay arrangements for protracted refugee caseloads serve as an effective way to achieve solutions for refugees in the Region.

In closing, participants welcomed the opportunity to exchange experience in legislative reforms, emergency preparedness and border & migration management best practices, and welcomed the support of IOM and UNHCR.