A meeting with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) held at the State Migration Service

Chief of the State Migration Service, II rank state migration service counselor Firudin Nabiyev has met with Elena Ajmone Sessera, head of the ICRC delegation in Azerbaijan, as well as Bjoern Rahm, Protection coordinator and Evgen Korotkevich, Protection representative.

Firudin Nabiyev noted that the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Baku in April 2018, which plays a major role in ensuring peace and security and unites 120 countries of the world that do not participate in any military bloc, and our country will chair the non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022 and host the summit in 2019.

F.Nabiyev expressed satisfaction with the existing cooperation with the ICRC, and noted the regular visits of the group, which monitors the detention facilities, to the Detention Center for Illegal Migrants of SMS. Service Chief stated that the number of persons, who need humanitarian assistance, has increased as a result of the global migration crisis and gave information about the recent rise in illegal migration trends, the reveled cases and the measures taken against such cases. Emphasizing that not a single fact of discrimination on the basis of racial, religious, national or ethnic grounds has been recorded in Azerbaijan, F. Nabiyev talked about cooperation with international humanitarian organizations. He informed about national legislation on citizenship, as well as additions and amendments to this law. He also talked about the readmission agreements, the work done for signing the protocols on the implementation of these agreements. He highlighted the difficulties faced during the implementation of the agreements, and noted the work carried out to reduce the number of stateless persons.

Firudin Nabiyev pointed out the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, the existence of more than a million people who have been living as refugee and IDP for more than 25 years, the measures taken by the Azerbaijani government to improve their living conditions, and the establishment of about 100 settlements and towns.

The guest briefed on the mandate of the ICRC and its activities in the Republic of Azerbaijan. She highlighted the support provided to the people living in the frontline, as well as the benefits of the projects implemented by the ICRC. She expressed her special gratitude to the Chief of the Service for the conditions created for the visit of the ICRC representatives to the SMS`s Detention Center for Illegal Migrants, as well as the high standard of living provided in these centers. She emphasized that the reception center has the capacity to receive a large number of individuals.

Later, the sides exchanged views on a number of issues within the competence of the two sides and discussed the problems of vulnerable persons.

Finally, the guest thanked for the sincere meeting and detailed information.