The delegation led by Freddy Roosemont, Director General of Immigration Office of Home Affairs Federal Public Service of the Kingdom of Belgium is on a visit in our country

On 29 June, the delegation led by Freddy Roosemont, Director General of Immigration Office of Home Affairs Federal Public Service of the Kingdom of Belgium visited the Alley of Honors, remembered the memory of Heydar Aliyev, National leader of our nation, architect and founder of our modern independent state with reverence and laid bunch of flowers before his monuments.  

Memory of distinguished ophthalmologist-scientist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva was commemorated and fresh flowers were placed on her grave, as well.

Later on the guests visiting the Martyrs’ Avenue commemorated memory of Motherland’s descendants who sacrificed their lives in the fight for the independence and territorial integrity of our country and placed fresh flowers on their graves.

Guests looked out over a panorama of Azerbaijani capital from the highest point of Baku and they were informed about the history of the Martyrs’ Avenue and reconstruction works carried out in our city.

Later Chief of State Migration Service II rank state migration service counselor Firudin Nabiyev met with the delegation.

At the meeting which was held in the context of mutual exchange of views, the significance of developing comprehensive relations between Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Belgium was mentioned. It was noted that Azerbaijan is the first country among the former Soviet republics establishing diplomatic relations with Belgium. It was stated that Azerbaijan-Belgium relations develop successfully in different directions. The contribution of high-level reciprocal visits and regular meetings held over the last years to the development of the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Belgium was emphasized. It was stressed that economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Belgium continues successfully and there is a great potential for the enhancement of this cooperation, moreover numerous events held in recent years on promotion of the culture of Belgium in Azerbaijan and the culture of Azerbaijan in Belgium contributed to promotion of ties of our peoples. The contributions of reciprocal visits to the rising development of ties between out states were discussed. It was gratefully expressed that these relations creates broad opportunities for fostering cooperation in the migration field, as well.

F.Nabiyev touched upon the importance of cooperation among State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan and relevant authorities of Belgium in the context of political, diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between Azerbaijan and Belgium. He expressed his assurance for further successful continuation of relations directly between Azerbaijan and Immigration Office of Home Affairs Federal Public Service of the Kingdom of Belgium. Service chief emphasizing high level protection of migrants’ rights in Azerbaijan shared his opinions on migration, including labour migration, factors affecting them, regulative mechanisms of this process, legislative base in this area and other issues. He stated the functioning of Detention Centers for Illegal Migrants meeting modern standards in Baku city and Yevlakh.

F.Nabiyev talked about migration legislation and implementation mechanisms in our country. Service chief mentioned achievements gained during the last 10 years by the State Migration Service, which implements competencies of single state authority on “one-stop-shop” principle as a result of attention and care of President Ilham Aliyev. He informed about legislative base. He gave information about the Unified Migration Information System which is established for the purpose of conducting records of foreigners and stateless persons residing and temporarily staying in the Republic of Azerbaijan, providing government bodies participating in management of migration processes with necessary information, automatizing documentation, inspection, inquiry and analysis measures related to migration and improving e-services rendered in this field. It is noted that the UMIS enables to have full picture of dynamics of migration processes occurring in the country and creates favorable condition for taking relevant measures in the sphere of fight against illegal migration and ensuring security.

Migration flows currently happening in the world and migrants’ problems were discussed at the meeting, as well. Service chief talked about Armenian aggression towards Azerbaijan and stated that at the end of 80s and the beginning of 90s of last century, 20 percent of our territory was occupied, more than 1 million people have become refugee and internally displaced as a result of the occupation. He noted that Azerbaijan overcame this crisis almost alone. Today large scale works are done for employment of displaced persons and improvement of their living conditions. Nearly one hundred settlements were built, refugees and IDPs were relocated to new beautiful apartments and houses. The conflict remains unsolved due to the unconstructive position of Armenia and Azerbaijan’s territory is still under occupation.

The significance of joint activity in the field of fight against illegal migration was stressed at the meeting in which discussion was held on strengthening legal framework to regulate mutual relationships in the migration field, as well as legalization of citizens who are in uncertain situation and determination of their status. It was mentioned that cooperation ties between Azerbaijan and Belgium was enlarged in the fields of legal migration, effective management of migration, readmission, voluntary return, as well as best and innovative practices in the migration area via the implementation of “Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the readmission of persons residing without authorization” in the recent years.

Freddy Roosemont expressed his satisfaction for his visit to our country, said that beauty of our country and Baku, as well as sincerity of our people is fascinating. He praised functioning of single agency in migration management in Azerbaijan, as well as application of Migration Code which is set of norms in this field. He highly appreciated the works done related with management and regulation of migration processes in Azerbaijan. He mentioned his assurance in substantial impact of this visit to the progress of relations in the migration area and solution of some issues mentioned.

At the meeting opinion exchange was carried out on several issues of mutual interest in the migration field.