Central Asia has a long history of complex population movements which includes both voluntary migration and forced displacement.
Countries in the region are still grappling with some of the consequences of the movements that followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the independence of successor States.
The economic situation, latent ethnic tensions and conflicts over resources – in particular in the densely populated Ferghana Valley – continue to prompt internal and cross-border movements in the region and beyond. Environmental degradation and high likelihood for natural disasters have been additional factors that contribute to migratory movements. Countries in the region are also home to a considerable stateless population and to refugees, in particular from neighbouring Afghanistan.
The Almaty Process is a regional consultative process on refugee protection and international migration to, from and within Central Asia. The Almaty Process aims to address the multiple challenges resulting from mixed migration dynamics and to enhance regional cooperation and coordination on mixed migration.
Objectives:
- promote dialogue on the challenges of international migration and refugee protection;
- develop mechanisms to monitor and address irregular migration;
- foster a common understanding of causes and consequences of displacement and migration;
- promote coherent, comprehensive and differentiated policies for persons on the move; and
- develop project-based actions to enhance State capacity to manage migration and provide refugee protection.
UNHCR and International Organization for Migration (IOM) provide secretarial support in the following areas:
- Functions as the institutional memory of the Almaty Process, maintains the archives and manages the Almaty Process web portal, both in Russian and English;
- Supports the Chairmanship in all organizational matters, including conferences/meetings/seminars, pertaining to its role;
- Assists the Chair in the collection, translation and distribution of materials prior to conferences/meetings/seminars and prepares compilations of related materials for publication as a follow-up to the meetings;
- Supports the Chair in ensuring effective information-sharing between participating States in order to promote synergies on the full-range of migration and refugee protection issues of concern to the Almaty Process countries;
- As required by the Chair, analyse information and conduct research on asylum and migration issues;
- Supports the Chair in monitoring media, developing regular joint information sheets and joint briefings and gathering information pertinent to the Almaty Process;
- Assist the Chair in drafting project proposals to mobilize resources for implementation of activities contained in the action plan;
- Supports the Chair in fostering links with related national and international programmes and Regional Consultative Processes on Migration.