Economic benefits of labour migration focus of OSCE workshop in Turkmenistan
An OSCE-organized workshop entitled “Economic benefits of labour migration: OSCE best practices” took place in Ashgabat on 5 and 6 December 2019.
The seminar brought together government officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Ministry of Education, the State Migration Service and the State Border Service as well as representatives of public organizations.
The two-day workshop provided participants with the knowledge and operational tools necessary for establishing effective national migration policies in line with OSCE commitments and international principles.
Ugo Melchionda, an expert from Italy, provided insights into the challenges in labour migration management and the roles that different stakeholders can play in developing effective labour migration practices. Participants analysed migration management key policy and operational tools and stressed the significance and advantages of inter-state co-operation and bilateral labour agreements.
Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, referred to the Ministerial Council’s Decision 5/09 on Migration Management, which recognized “the increasing importance of and the benefits stemming from effective migration management for the socio-economic development, social cohesion, security and stability in all countries”.
“It is our belief that the workshop will support the efforts of the host government to develop an efficient labour migration management system for Turkmenistan,” mentioned Drozd.
The seminar also addressed the development of circular and temporary migration schemes as optimal tools to harness the economic potential of well-governed migration for countries of origin, destination and the migrants themselves. Group work fostered a peer-to-peer exchange of ideas related to the development of national policies in line with the best international practices.
The event builds on the regional initiative organized annually by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) the Regional Framework for Action: Towards a multi-agency and multi-stakeholder approach to improve labour migration governance in Central Asia.