Press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

VIENNA, 29 June 2011 - The following is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on 29 June. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States.

Proposals would have OSCE take on larger role in managing refugees, migration

COPENHAGEN, 29 June 2011 – The Arab uprisings in North Africa – with more than a million refugees leaving their home countries – has created a migration challenge that requires greatly enhanced international co-ordination, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on Migration Kathleen Ferrier (MP, Netherlands) said today.

OSCE Partners for Co-operation Tunisia and Egypt have taken in almost one million people from Libya since February. More than 40,000 people have fled North Africa for Italy, often enduring trips fraught with danger on over-packed boats.

Ferrier has proposed a resolution for consideration at the OSCE PA’s Annual Session next week calling on governments to co-ordinate migration policies and proposes the OSCE create a network of national focal points on migration in each country, similar to the network in place that has increased international co-operation addressing human trafficking. The resolution, co-sponsored by 37 MPs from 15 countries, also recommends that the OSCE, its field operations and participating States collect migration data and promote the exchange of that information.

“Without regionally collected migration data and internationally co-ordinated policies our governments are flying blind,” Ferrier said. “Under my plan our countries will no longer enact policies in a vacuum, unaware of what a neighbor in the wider region is doing or the effect a new law would have on migration flows.”

Another resolution pending in the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions would call on the OSCE Ministerial Council to consider establishing rapid-reaction missions to co-ordinate responses to international crises, such as, mass migration movements.

“We have seen the strength of the OSCE field missions in conflict zones before, so I hope the foreign ministers will seriously consider taking the organization to the next level on human rights and see fit to be more involved on the ground where our organization is needed most,” said Matteo Mecacci (Italy), the committee rapporteur who drafted the resolution.

The resolutions will be considered for inclusion in the Assembly’s Belgrade Declaration, which helps shape OSCE and national policy. Parliamentarians from more than 50 participating OSCE countries will vote on the resolution and declaration in Belgrade.

The Belgrade Annual Session, including committee debates and votes, are open to the press and public. The session runs 6-10 July 2011. For more information on the Annual Session, click here.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 320 parliamentarians from 55 countries spanning, Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international cooperation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.