On May 26, 2021 in Istanbul via tele-conference the representative of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan took part in the 6th Almaty Process Senior Officials Meeting. IOM Sub-Regional Coordination Office for Central Asia hosted the meeting.

Together with Turkmenistan, this seminar was attended by national coordinators and senior officials from the member states and observer states of the Almaty Process, including the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkey, together with representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the International Organization for Migration.

The purpose of the Senior Official Meeting was to present the vision and strategy of the new Chair of Almaty Process - Republic of Turkey, confirm the 2-year work plan for 2021-2022, agree on the funding modality, and discuss migration dynamics to and from Central Asia.

The discussion focused on the funding mechanism of the Process. Additionally the participants exchanged views and opinion on migration management, regional mobility, and labour migration.

At the end of the meeting, state representatives have stressed the importance of enhancing the international cooperation in the framework of the Almaty process with the aim to combat irregular migration, smuggling of migrants, and further studying possible causes and consequences of growing regional mobility, including irregular migration routes in the Central Asian region.

Link: turkmenistan.iom.int