OSCE presents second study on migration data in Astana, discusses steps to harmonize regional data collection

ASTANA, 17 February 2011 – The preliminary findings and recommendations from an assessment of migration data in Kazakhstan by the OSCE and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) were presented to government officials and policymakers dealing with migration data at a meeting in Astana today.

This assessment in Kazakhstan is the second study in the Central Asian region and follows the first study trip, which took place in Tajikistan in January. Both assessments are part of a bigger project supporting the establishment of a harmonized data collection process in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This project is in line with the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Migration Management calling for improved collection of comparable data on migration, which is essential to facilitate dialogue and exchange of best practices at the OSCE level.The last country assessment will be held in Kyrgyzstan in March.

The event was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the OSCE Centre in Astana in co-operation with IOM. Government officials and policymakers discussed issues including internal and external migration data needs and the steps needed to harmonize data collection between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

“The geographical situation of the Republic of Kazakhstan makes the effective management of migration flows a real challenge. For this reason, reliable and comparable migration data and statistics are of primary importance for us,” said Serik Sainov, the Head of the Migration Control Department in the Migration Police Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Ambassador Alexandre Keltchewsky, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Astana, said at the opening of the meeting: "Up-to-date, objective, reliable and comparable data on migration and its subsequent analysis are essential tools for informed and good policy making, as well as for policy impact assessment. Today, we have this great opportunity of taking the right steps towards the collection of comparable migration data, in this case in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, in view of establishing a harmonized data collection process between these three countries."

Zlatko Žigić, the IOM Chief of Mission in Kazakhstan, said: “Reliable migration data is a key element in the development of evidence-based policies to properly manage migration challenges in the Central Asian region.”

To ensure synergy with other data collection processes, activities are being co-ordinated with other international organizations including the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the International Labour Organization and the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The findings of the three country assessments, a template for data collection and general conclusions and recommendations will be compiled in ahandbook, whichwill be presented at a regional conference in Vienna in June.