Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 14 December 2023, an international round table “Promoting the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Legal Migration” was held in Tashkent.

The main organizers of the event were the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights and the Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Uzbekistan.

The international round table was attended by representatives of relevant government agencies, national human rights institutions, scientific and academic circles, civil society institutions from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as experts and IOM staff from Headquarters (Geneva , Switzerland), Regional Office (Vienna, Austria), Global Migration Data Analysis Center (GMDAC) and the organization’s offices in Central Asia.

The First Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Director of the National Center for Human Rights Akmal Saidov and Sub-regional Coordinator of the International Organization for Migration for Central Asia Zeinal Gadzhiev welcomed the participants of the round table, the heads of representative offices of this international organization in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Today, migration and migrants play a significant role in the economy, free trade and innovation processes of all countries. In this regard, the international community approved the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in Morocco in 2018. On the other hand, measures are being consistently implemented aimed at developing international and regional cooperation, improving national legislation and mechanisms to protect the rights of migrants.

The National Strategy of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Human Rights and its “Road Map”, approved by the Decree of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev from 22 June 2020, set the task of improving the legal framework for regulating labor migration. On this basis, regulatory documents related to the protection of the rights of migrants are regularly improved.

In this regard, on 20 August 2019, the President issued a decree “On measures to further strengthen guarantees of protection for citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan carrying out temporary labor activities abroad, and members of their families,” and on 15 September 2020, a decree “On measures to introduce a safe, orderly and legal labor migration”, which provides specific solutions.

During the international round table, a video dedicated to the “Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration” was shown.

Analyzing the content and importance of this document, international, regional and national experts noted that this Treaty is inextricably linked with the main UN documents and the Sustainable Development Goals.

During the discussion, held in a hybrid format, speakers included a member of the Institute of International Law in Geneva (Switzerland), honorary professor of King's College London (UK) and Tallinn University (Estonia) Rein Mullerson, an employee of the Regional Office of the International Organization for Migration in Vienna (Austria) Laurent Simon Van Assche, IOM expert consultant on the Global Compact on Migration Elmira Khisamutdinova, Deputy Chairman of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Head of the Department of International Law at RUDN University (Russia), MGIMO Professor Aslan Abashidze and other experts.

The round table presented the best practices for developing a national system of safe, orderly and legal migration. The practical experience of advanced countries, in particular Azerbaijan, in the implementation of the “Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Legal Migration” was studied.

The prospects for promoting dialogue and exchange of experience on migration issues between the countries of Central Asia were also considered. It was recognized that all countries of our region - Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan supported the Global Compact and participated in regional UN meetings on the implementation of this international document with their national reports.

At the event, the developed corresponding Regional program to assist the countries of Central Asia in the implementation of the Global Compact was discussed in detail. The program is consistently implemented with the financial support of the Committee for the Distribution of Migration Resources of the International Organization for Migration.

In implementing this Regional Program, IOM cooperates with relevant ministries and departments of Central Asian countries, national human rights institutions and civil society. The main focus of the Program is to help strengthen the capacity of countries in the region to achieve the goals defined in the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.