CIS countries discuss efforts to combat illegal migration
Representatives of seven member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) met in Astana, Kazakhstan, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in combating illegal migration and develop mechanisms to prevent related crimes. They also addressed legal and administrative challenges in regulating the presence of foreign workers in CIS countries.
According to the CIS Executive Committee, the latest meeting of the Joint Committee on Combating Illegal Migration brought together representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as the Council of Heads of Financial Intelligence Units and the CIS Executive Committee.
Participants exchanged experiences in preventing and detecting crimes related to illegal migration. They also discussed preventive measures targeting foreign nationals, including university students, emphasizing the importance of coordinating efforts among relevant authorities across member states to reduce offenses committed by foreign nationals and stateless persons.
Particular attention was paid to joint security operations and preventive measures, especially the annual Operation “Illegal”, aimed at combating illegal migration.
The development of national legislation and the improvement of mechanisms for its enforcement concerning the employment of foreign nationals and stateless persons were also among the key areas of discussion.
The participants also addressed challenges related to regularizing the legal status of Afghan nationals in CIS countries and explored possible approaches to resolving the issue within the existing legal frameworks of the countries concerned.
Representatives of the participating countries exchanged experiences on professional development and advanced training programs for staff of regional migration units, aiming to improve institutional efficiency and strengthen personnel capacity to handle cases involving the movement of foreign nationals.
G. Khonnazarov, UzA
