OSCE Almaty seminar focuses on migration management

ALMATY, 24 January 2005 - An international seminar on the economic, environmental, security and humanitarian aspects of migration among the OSCE's 55 participating States opened in Almaty today.

More than 200 representatives from OSCE States, international organizations, NGOs and academics will discuss issues such as labour migration, environmentally-induced migration, the impact of migration on economies, remittances, gender and the integration of migrants.

The two-day event is aimed at formulating suggestions for the OSCE participating States and other international actors to be further discussed at the Prague Economic Forum in May.

Rapil Zhoshybaev, Kazakhstan's Deputy Foreign Minister said that not only economic causes but also environmental problems were a main reason for migration.

"People also leave the locations where the soil has become exhausted, leading to desertification," he said in is opening speech, citing the Aral Sea and his country's Semipalatinsk nuclear polygon as examples.

Zhazbek Abdyev, Chairman of Kazakhstan's Committee on Migration, said the analysis of foreign experience in migration policy is of great importance for Kazakhstan today. "The experience of other countries could suggest some solutions and prevent us from possible mistakes and misunderstandings."

Ambassador Boris Frlec, Head of the Slovenian Foreign Ministry's OSCE Task Force, representing the OSCE Chairmanship, said migration was a highly relevant issue in the context of globalization and stressed the need to enhance the beneficial relationship between migration and sustainable development.

"Migration is a cross-dimensional issue with strong bearings on security, economics and the human dimension, so the OSCE represents one of the very natural choices for the discussion of this subject," he said.

"The OSCE, in co-operation with other relevant organizations, may consider offering support in drafting national migration laws, improving co-operation among agencies and developing integrated and coherent migration policies, which should be seen as an essential part of good governance in every OSCE participating State," Ambassador Frlec added.

Migration encompassed all three dimensions of security dealt with by the OSCE - politico-military, economic-environmental, and the human dimesion -, said Ambassador Ivar Vikki, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Almaty. "To provide support for our participating States on this issue is paramount to the OSCE's aims of fostering security and promoting co-operation," he said. He also offered the Centre's support to the Kazakh Government in updating legislation related to migration and developing relevant policies.

Marcin Swiecicki, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, said economic development played a large part in explaining migration. He also referred to the economic benefits of migration in both countries of origin and destination.

"Managed immigration can contribute to sustainability of pension and health care funds in developed countries experiencing ageing and declining populations, whereas increasing restrictions on migration can aggravate security concerns in the long run. Less developed regions can benefit greatly from remittances sent home by labour migrants working abroad," he said.

"Instead of restrictions on migration we might want to consider new integration policies," he added.

The Almaty Seminar on Migration from an Economic, Environmental and Security Perspective is jointly organized by the Slovenian OSCE Chairmanship and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, with support from Kazakhstan's Government and the OSCE Centre in Almaty.

It is the second in a series of three preparatory seminars for the 13th OSCE Economic Forum, which will be held in Prague from 23 to 27 May 2005. This year, the Forum's theme will be "Demographic Trends, Migration and Integrating Persons belonging to National Minorities: Ensuring Security and Sustainable Development in the OSCE area".

The third preparatory seminar will take place in Kyiv on 10 and 11 March 2005 and will focus on integrating persons belonging to national minorities.

For regular updates on the seminars and the preparations for the 2005 OSCE Economic Forum, please visit www.osce.org/eea.