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Chief of State Migration Service is on a visit to Geneva
108th session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Council will be held from November 28 to December 1, 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland. Chief of State Migration Service, II rank state migration Service counselor Firudin Nabiyev paying a visit to Geneva to participate in the Session, met with Mr. William Lacy Swing, Director General of IOM.
Satisfaction was expressed for the high level cooperation between IOM and the Republic of Azerbaijan in the field of migration during the meeting which held in the atmosphere of mutual opinion exchange. It was mentioned that this cooperation was fostered with the successful visit by W.L.Swing to Azerbaijan in September, 2015 and meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev within the visit. Openness of our country to new projects and initiatives in the context of expanding cooperation with the organization, as well as participation of high level delegations on behalf of the Republic of Azerbaijan in various international events by IOM were appreciated.
The sides appraised signing of “Cooperation Agreement on Pilot Project on Assistance for the Voluntary Return of Migrants from Azerbaijan” within 107th Session of IOM Council on December 8 last year, as an obvious example of the cooperation between our country and IOM.
Service chief stressed the worldwide significance of IOM’s officially joining to the UN family in September, 2016 and “The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants” which was then adopted by the UN General Assembly to enhance attempts by international community in the management of ongoing refugee and migrant flows in the world. F.Nabiyev expressed his assurance on further increase of IOM contribution to the migration process in the world by enforcing its rich experience as a UN agency exclusively involving in migration. He stated that Azerbaijan supports the abovementioned resolution, as well as subsequent steps towards adoption of global compacts for refugees and safe, orderly and regular migration.
Service chief recalled the problems of more than one million people who became forced migrants as a result of occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories by Armenia and the works done by the country leadership related with the solution of these problems. In general, he stated his confidence in IOM to continue active and constructive dialogue with the world countries in order to eliminate bitter results of conflicts in the world, their enlarged geographical area and rapid increase in the number of refugees and IDPs, as well as to remind obligation of the states related to protecting rights of all migrants and IDPs, providing vulnerable people from this category with necessary support and assistance.
F.Nabiyev added that Azerbaijan has become a target country for a number of migrants from third countries owing to rapid economic development, political stability, tolerance and multiculturalism atmosphere existing in our country. Therefore our republic implements active migration policy in order to influence migration processes occurring in the region, to control and regulate migrant flows to the territory of the country. The possible assistance of IOM to Azerbaijan in this direction is desirable and Azerbaijan Government is open for cooperation. Currently, the “Consolidation of migration and border management capacities in Azerbaijan” project (2014-2017) is successfully continued with IOM.
Remembering his witnessing to stability and progressive migration management model established in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, as well as importance attached to multicultural values in the country, with satisfaction, and uttering his support to the indicated opinions and raised issues Director General W.L.Swing expressed his assurance that today’s meeting and opinion exchange will give its contribution to future perspectives of joint cooperation.
At the meeting opinion exchange was conducted on other issues of mutual interest.