Almaty Process
The Almaty Process which brings together Central Asian States; the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, went into action with a declaration to form a regional consultative process on migration. The Almaty Process aims to overcome various problems arising from complex migration dynamics and mixed migratory movements in Central Asia and more commonly in the region.
The first Regional Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 15-16 March 2011 and the Almaty Declaration was unanimously adopted at the conference. The Declaration aims to translate the outcomes of the conference into practice and to advance regional dialogue and practical cooperation on issues of common concern. In the Almaty Process it was proposed to develop a Regional Cooperation Framework to overcome the mixed migratory movements.
In the Almaty Process; a series of national consultative meetings and ministerial conferences on 15-16 March 2011 and 5 June 2013 in which decisions were taken have taken place and a platform for dialogue and cooperation on migration were built, with the support of IOM and UNHCR. The first Chairmanship of was decided to be executed by Kazakhstan for two years based on participant country’s voluntariness and considering the alphabetical order on 5 June 2013. The term of office of the Kazakhstan includes 2013-2015.
Ministerial Conferences 2. Online (27 January 2021)
6th Senior Officials Meeting: Turkey, Istanbul (2021)
Subsequently, Kyrgyzstan held the term presidency in 2017-2018 and Tajikistan held in 2019-2020. Our country took over the 2021-2022 term presidency with the Ministerial Conference held on January 27, 2021.
On 21 November 2014, in the chairmanship of Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan Almaty Process First Senior Officials Meeting was held in Almaty. Member and observer states of the Almaty Process have come together in Afghanistan before the end of 2014 to discuss the complex migration movements.
“Labour Migration Opportunities and Challenges in Central Asia Addressing solutions for migrants and refugees” were discussed in the 2nd Almaty Process Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) on 22 September 2015.
Representatives from participating countries gathered to address Mixed Migration Flows in Central Asia: Human Mobility, Rights of Vulnerable Migrants and Refugees and Regional Cooperation in the 3rd Almaty Process Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Astana, Kazakhstan on 19-20 September 2016.
Objectives
1- To promote sustained dialogue and Exchange of information on migration issues and on refugee protection challenges;
2- To foster a common understanding among policymakers and stakeholders of the causes, dimensions, patterns, future trends and impacts of migration in Central Asia;
3- To promote coherent, evidence based, comprehensive and differentiated migration policies at the national and regional level for persons on the move; and
4- To develop project actions aimed at enhancing the capacity of its participating States to manage migration and refugee protection issues.
Current Focus
· Irregular Migration
· Immigration, Border Management and Security
· Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling
· Human Rights of Migrants
· Asylum and Refugees
· Migration and Climate Change
· Labour Migration
· Migration and Development
· Migration and Health
· Migration Policy and Research
· Mixed Migration or Mixed Movements
Participant Countries
Member States: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.
Iran and Pakistan are observer states in the Almaty Process.
Other countries participated in the Ministerial Conferences in 2011 and in 2013 are China, France, Japan, Ireland, Palestine, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Unites States of America