IOM and EU Help Azerbaijan Manage Readmission

The Hyatt Regency Hotel hosted an event to mark the launch of the project "Support for the creation of effective management readmission in the South Caucasus", implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with the support of the European Union.

In a speech at the opening of the meeting, acting head of the IOM in Azerbaijan Aktorpak Serhan, said the project is worth 1,492,457 euros over 2 years. Goal - the creation and development in all three countries a policy of good governance readmission. (Readmission - consent of a state to take back to their territory their citizens, and in some cases, foreigners who were previously in the country who are deported from a third country.)

The project provides technical assistance to sign and implement agreements on readmission and reintegration of returnees into the society of their countries, said Aktorpak.

According to him, the Azerbaijan project has three specific objectives: develop an effective management system for readmission, raise the potential of migrant reception centers, and develop effective institutional mechanisms aimed at reintegrating the migrants.

IOM is implementing a project with GMR, the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Labor and the local NGO "League for the Protection of labor rights."

According to Aktorpak, it is the first project in the field of readmission in Azerbaijan. In recent years, the country has worked to develop a national strategy for readmission. It is expected that by 2013 the EU will sign the first agreement with Azerbaijan on readmission.

Roland Kobia, head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan noted achievement in key areas regarding the signing of agreements on visa facilitation and readmission agreements. Currently, 3% of the world's population is migrants. 

For the EU, this issue is relevant in view of the attractiveness of the EU countries for migrants. At present, 19.5 million people are residents of third countries, which is approximately 4% of the EU population. Along with positive outcomes, migration has certain problems, the readmission agreement helps in the regulation of these issues, and ensures the rights of migrants, Kobia said.

Kobia said that in addition to funding the project, implementing the EU twinning project enhances the capacity of the IOM, with relevant structures from the Netherlands, Latvia and Romania.

Parviz Musayev, vice-chief of State Migration Service said that there are migrant detention centers in Azerbaijan, where people wait while their refugee status applications are considered. There are also detected illegal migrants in the centers. According Musayev, the centers are operated with full respect for human rights.

Additionally, a unified database containing the information of all arriving and departing migrants has been created. Since April 1, all foreigners arriving in Azerbaijan must notify the GMC within 3 days of their arrival. In the first 4 days of the program, 1,000 migrants have been registered.

Musayev confirmed that the sending party would cover the costs relating to the deportation of illegal migrants.

Alovsat Aliyev, head of the NGO "Azerbaijan Migration Center" said that historically, authorities showed no interest in signing a readmission agreement. One reason for this was the burden of the cost of taking deportees from Europe who had migrated through Azerbaijan. However, these fears are not justified because the EU countries generally deport criminals.

For many years, Azerbaijani citizens have faced complicated visa procedures for travel to the EU. "Today, citizens of many countries of the CIS and even Armenia pay for Schengen visas up to 30 euros, and the citizens of Azerbaijan pay 60 euros," said Aliyev. -06C-