Almaty Process on Refugee Protection and International Migration

Type: Regional consultative process on migration (region: Eurasia)

Formal association with regional or multi-stakeholder organization : None

Established: 2013

Objectives

The Almaty Process promotes sustained dialogue and exchange of information on migration issues and on refugee protection challenges in in Central Asia and the wider region. 

• Asylum
• Combatting human trafficking
• Human mobility
• Human rights of migrants
• Irregular migration
• Migrant integration
• Migrant vulnerabilities
• Migration management
• Migration policy and governance
• Migration trends / drivers of migration 
• Refugees and protection 

Chairing Country

Current Chair: Turkey (2021-2022)
Incoming Chair: Azerbaijan
Past Chair:  Kazakhstan (2013-2016), Kyrgyzstan (October 2016-September 2018), Tajikistan (2018-2020) 

Secretariat / Support Unit

The Government of the Chairing Country acts also as Secretariat. Upon Almaty Process 'Member States' invitation, IOM and UNHCR perform the Support Unit functions providing technical and administrative assistance to the Chair and the Secretariat. 

Members

Member States (7 States)

• Afghanistan
• Azerbaijian
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Tajikistan
• Turkey
• Turkmenistan

Note:  Founding Members: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.

Observers

Observer States (2 States)

• Iran                 
• Pakistan

States can be invited to observe meetings on an ad hoc basis (eg China, France, Palestine, Russian Federation, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America and Uzbekistan have been invited to different Almaty Process events). 

Observer organizations

International or regional organizations can be invited on an ad hoc basis to observe Almaty Process events depending on the theme. 

Meetings

• January 27, 2021, Virtual Event, Ministerial Conference
• December 9, 2020, Virtual Event, Technical Experts' Meeting
• August 26-28, 2019, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, “3rd meeting of Almaty Process Expert Group”
• May 14-15, 2019, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, “2nd meeting of the Almaty Process Technical Experts' Group”
• February 12-13, 2019, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 1st Expert group meeting, [ Expert Meeting Protocol ]
• September 27-28, 2018, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 5th Senior Officials Meeting “ Human Mobility in Central Asia: Rights of vulnerable migrants and refugees and new opportunities for regional cooperation ”
• September 4-5, 2017, Almaty, Kazakhstan, “Regional Thematic Workshop on Migrants' Right to Health and Access to Services”. [ Press Release ].
• April 3-4, 2017, Astana, Kazakhstan, Regional Thematic Workshop / Training “Combating Trafficking in Persons - Monitoring of CTIP Efforts as Means of Protection of Rights of Victims of Trafficking and Vulnerable Migrants”.
• February 27-28, 2017, Astana, Kazakhstan, High Level Experts Regional Roundtable “Social and Economic Impact of Migration: migrant vulnerabilities and (re-) integration needs in Central Asia”
• September 19-20, 2016, Astana, Kazakhstan, 3rd Senior Officials Meeting of Almaty Process held in Astana
• June 6-7, 2016, Almaty, Kazakhstan, Regional Thematic Workshop: “Access of migrant workers to protection mechanisms”
• April 4-6, 2016, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Regional, Thematic Training / Workshop “Combating Trafficking in Persons - Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking ” 
• February 26, 2016, Astana, Kazakhstan, High Level Regional Roundtable“ Social and Economic Impact of Migration: migrant vulnerabilities and integration needs in Central Asia ”,  ( EN | RU ), Concept Note ( EN | RU ) Information on event 1 | 2 | 3  | 4
• September 22, 2015, Astana, Kazakhstan, – 2nd Senior Officials Meeting, “Labour Migration Opportunities and Challenges in Central Asia”. (Agenda (EN|RU), Closing Remarks (EN|RU), Press Release)
• November 21, 2014, Almaty, Kazakhstan, – 1st Senior Officials Meeting, “Mixed Migration Movements from Afghanistan Post 2015”.
• June 5, 2013, Almaty, Kazakhstan, – Ministerial Conference on Refugee Migration and International Migration: The Almaty Process.
• March 15-16, 2011 – First Regional Ministerial Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration

Documents

• Almaty Declaration 2011
• Almaty Process Operating Modalities 2013 (EN | RU)
• Communiqué 2013 (EN | RU)
• Statements by the Organizers of the Almaty Process Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration, 2013 (EN | RU)
• Summary Report of the Almaty Conference 2013 (EN | RU)
• Summary Report of the Almaty Conference 2011 (EN | RU)
• Addressing Mixed Migration Flows through Capacity Building in Central Asia EN | RUS
• Brochure on Re-entry banned migrants rights (RU)
• March 30 – April 1, 2015, “Regional Training on Migration Management and Capacity Building on Irregular Migration”, Almaty, Kazakhstan (EN | RUS)
• Migrant Vulnerabilities and Integration Needs in Central Asia 2017 (https://kazakhstan.iom.int/sites/kazakhstan/files/documents/Migrant%20Vulnerabilities%20and%20Integration%20Needs%20in%20Central%20Asia_1.pdf)
• Migrant Vulnerabilities and Integration Needs in Central Asia: Root Causes, Social and Economic Impact of Return Migration.  Regional Field Assessment in Central Asia 2016” (EN | RU)
• Migrants’ Right to Health in Central Asia: Challenges and Opportunities (https://kazakhstan.iom.int/sites/kazakhstan/files/documents/Migrants%E2%80%99%20Right%20to%20Health%20in%20Central%20Asia-%20Challenges%20and%20Opportunities_0.pdf)
• Press Release – 7 July 2015, “Ambassadors’ Briefing for the Member and Observer States of the Almaty Process” | Photos
• Press Release -  Ministerial Conference on Refugee Protection and International Migration: The Almaty Process (EN | RU)
• Risk Analysis on Return Migration and Challenges in Central Asia – 2017 (https://kazakhstan.iom.int/sites/kazakhstan/files/documents/2017-risk-analysis-eng.pdf)

More documents can be foun d https://kazakhstan.iom.int/publications

Contact information

IOM Sub Regional Coordination Office for Central Asia, Kazakhstan 
Address: 6A Zverev Street, Almaty - 14 Mambetov street, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
Tel: +7 7 172 790345/46/47/48
Fax: +7 7172 790349
E- mail: suiomkz@iom.kz
Website: https://kazakhstan.iom.int/

Office of the UNHCR Regional Representative / Regional Coordinator for Central Asia
Address: 67 Tole bi, 05000 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tel: +7 727 258 4598
Fax: +7 727 258 3982
E-mail: kazal@unhcr.org
Website: http: / /www.unhcr.kz