Meeting with the delegation of UNHCR was held at the State Migration Service  

On October 30, Chief of the State Migration Service, II rank state migration service counselor Firudin Nabiyev met with deputy director of Program Analysis &Support division at the head office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva Henrik Nordentoft, acting deputy director of International protection division Preeta Law, senior officer of European Bureau Anatoly Pujay, Regional Representative of UNHCR for South Caucasus Simone Wolken and Representative of UNHCR in our country Dag Sigurdson.

Service chief regretfully brought into attention of the guests that as a result of Armenian aggression to Azerbaijan more than 1 million of our compatriots live in refugee and IDP situations over 20 years, 4 resolutions of UN Security Council haven’t been implemented yet. Furthermore,he shared his opinion on consequences of double standards, migrant problem faced by Europe and situation that migrants encountered in the old world.

F.Nabiyev talked about measures taken towards regulation of migration processes in our country on the basis of unified and flexible procedures, complete elimination of difficulties in this field, facilitation of documentation, ensuring convenience of foreigners and stateless persons, improvement of effectiveness in the field of protection of their rights since the establishment of SMS – an independent state entity which sets its activity on the principles of respect to human and citizen rights and freedoms, rule of law and humanism.Touching the works done towards improvement of participation of the public in processes implemented in migration field, deepening interrelationwith non-governmental organizations in this field Service chief stated that according to the legislation State Migration Service cooperates with relevant state bodies in the direction of adaptation of foreigners and stateless persons permanently living in the Republic of Azerbaijan to the local condition with their own will. He comprehensively talked about the activity of Detention Centers for Illegal Migrants of the Service which meets modern standards, high-level condition established for foreigners and stateless persons placed in those centers.

Noting the adherence of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the UNHCR campaign “To end statelessness in 10 years” regarding with elimination of statelessness cases by taking into consideration the importance of citizenship right which is one of the main human rights F.Nabiyev explained that relevant measures are taken by the Service across all the regions of the country in order to eradicate statelessness cases in short period of time.

F.Nabiyev emphasized that prompt reaction is demonstrated towards problems of asylum seekers in our country, they are always kept in the center of attention as vulnerable migrants by State Migration Service and cooperation will be continued with UNHCR in this direction at the meeting where application ofsubsidiary protection to asylum seekers in Azerbaijan, second phase of the "Asylum Systems Quality Initiative in Eastern Europe and South Caucasus" project, development of legislative base, as well as cooperation towards making amendments and addendums in the field of asylum issues were discussed.

Thanking for sincere reception Ms. Preeta Law noted the importance of meetings held with senior government officials in order to get information on issues which fall into the mandate of UNHCRduring the visit that was realized with the purpose of familiarization with activity and worksimplemented in South Caucasus region by entity represented by them.

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