a) Chair: Turkey Contact person: Mr. Berlan Pars Alan, Head of Migration Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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1 Working Group on the Silk Routes Region Strategic work-plan 1. Administrative framework a) Chair: Turkey Contact person: Mr. Berlan Pars Alan, Head of Migration Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs b) Secretariat: ICMPD Contact persons: Ms. Cecilia Lundström, Ms. Sedef Dearing General information and objectives Comments 2. Scope Involves all Budapest Process countries including Central Asian and South Caucasus countries Targets the Silk Routes Region Covers all aspects of migration and all relevant actors 3. Objectives The overall objective is to contribute to better management of migration flows from and to the Middle 1

2 East and South Asia. The specific objectives are to To set a common basis for cooperation through providing an informal framework for equal level intergovernmental dialogue between the new partner countries and with other relevant countries, such as the countries of Central Asia and South Caucasus, the Russian Federation, Turkey and the European Union Member States. To encourage cooperation on migration matters in and with the Silk Routes region through this informal and flexible framework. To provide a framework for exchange of expertise and practices on region-relevant topics as well as knowledge and capacity transfer within and with the region. To improve the knowledge base on the migration realities in the respective countries The 1 st meeting on 4 November 2010 will serve as a trustbuilding exercise and to establish priorities of the countries for cooperation in this new framework. Horizontal issues Priorities Comments 4. Networking - Establish network of officials with responsibilities for migration - Use existing or create efficient communication channels where required. - Focus on exchange of information on policies, also on expert level to improve mutual understanding - Establish network of Immigration Liaison 2

3 5. Data collection and analysis 6. General migration management Officers - Consider developing and/or upgrading Migration Profiles for the countries of the Silk Routes region - Sharing of migration statistics - Increased utilisation of information technology for improved information exchange - Approximation of certain aspects of legislative frameworks - Strengthening of administrative bodies dealing with migration through capacity building - Sharing of practices and knowledge - Use of standardised definitions - For example regarding penalties and penalty scales for migration related crime Topical issues Priorities Comments 7. Migration and Development - Support to sustainable reintegration of returning nationals - Improved understanding of root causes of migration in order to effectively address migration related challenges through evidence based primary research (in order not to cause repetitive migration) - Circular migration (and voluntary return in the perspective of circular migration) - Return (also temporary) of qualified nationalities - Explore ways to facilitate safe transfer of remittances - Identification of obstacles to circular migration 8. Asylum - Develop and protect the rights of asylum seekers and refugees - Ensure the implementation of dignified asylum 3

4 procedures - Develop institutional capacities, infrastructure and financial resources for putting in place a protection system for asylum seekers 9. Legal and labour migration and Integration - Promote legal and labour migration channels, also through evidence based primary research - Awareness raising (information campaigns) regarding possibilities to migrate legally including the dangers of illegal migration - Awareness-raising on the positive aspects of migration among the general population in host countries - Reduce administrative burdens for legal migrants and unnecessary obstacles to legal migration - Protect the legitimate rights of migrants - Ensure the integrity of the system giving right to family reunification - Including offering job opportunities and education - Avoid policies restricting migration in the name of anti-terrorism and the global economic crisis 10. Border Management and Visa Border Management - Improved document security (identity documents as well as breeder document) - Improve work towards secure but open borders aiming to support the legitimate movement of people and goods while preventing irregular movements and crossborder crime - Exchange of best practices and capacity building (e.g. training), with special attention to the issue of nationality swapping - Exchange of best practices and capacity building - Facilitation of trade and customs cooperation - International and interagency cooperation 4

5 important 11. Irregular Migration and Return Irregular migration - Sharing of information on routes - Measures to disrupt flows of irregular migration while respecting the mixed nature of the flows and the rights of vulnerable groups (asylum seekers and minors, etc.) - Identification of countries of origin (identification of nationality) - Respect the dignity of irregular migrants Smuggling of Migrants - Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fight against criminal networks Return and readmission (Regional dimensions of return and readmission) - Identification of countries of origin (identification of nationality) - Measures to promote voluntary and durable return - Ensuring humane return procedures - Ensuring cooperation of the countries of origin as regards forced returns - Taking into consideration the differences in modus operandi, such as use of air, land or sea routes - Language analysis - Also looking at links to other criminal activities such as drug trafficking (serious and organised crime) - Legislative changes on operational border cooperation - Making active use of available tools, such as Interpol s I-24/7 12. Trafficking in Human Beings - Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the 5

6 fight against criminal networks - Improve transnational cooperation regarding international referral of victims of trafficking - Victim protection - Develop institutional capacities for victim protection with adequate resources and facilities 6