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 aims to:

• Promote dialogue on international migration and refugee protection
• Promote the implementation of a coherent, integrated and differentiated policy on people on the move
• Develop mechanisms for monitoring and resolving issues related to irregular migration
• To develop an action plan within the framework of the project aimed at strengthening the capacity of States to manage migration and ensure the protection of refugees

• 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: Azerbaijan (2023-2024)
Past Chairs: Turkey (2021-2022), Tajikistan (2018-2020), Kyrgyzstan (October 2016-September 2018), Kazakhstan (2013-2016)

The chairmanship of the Almaty Process is open to all participating States on a voluntary basis. The term of office is two years.

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 (6 States)

• Afghanistan
• Azerbaijan
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Tajikistan
• Türkiye

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

Observers

Observer States (4 States)

• Iran
• Italy                
• Pakistan
• Turkmenistan

*Accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Almaty Process is pending

States can be invited to observe meetings on an ad hoc basis (e.g. 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

• March 28, 2023, Virtual Event, Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM)
• December 5, 2022, Virtual Event, Online Technical Expert Group Meeting on Irregular Migration and Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR)
• May 24, 2022, Virtual Event, Technical Expert Group Meeting “Policies and Best practices regarding Labour Migration, Residence and Visa”
• May 26, 2021, Istanbul, Turkiye, 6th Senior Officials Meeting
• 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
• 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
• 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

More documents can be found 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

Website of Almaty Process: https://www.almaty-process.org/

More Information

• Inter-State Consultation Mechanisms on Migration
• Inter-Regional Forums on Migration (IRFs)
• Regional consultative processes on migration (RCPs)
• Global Processes on Migration
• Global ISCM Meeting (GRCP)
• ISCMs, Policy Dialogue on Migration and Migration Governance