Contribution of security forces to deal with large migration flows discussed in joint session of Forum for Security Co-operation and Permanent Council

VIENNA, 18 October 2017 – The role of security forces in supporting national governments in managing migration crises was the focus of the today’s joint meeting of the Forum for Security Co-operation under Serbia’s Chairmanship and the Permanent Council in Vienna.
 
Speakers stressed the importance of consolidating efforts of security forces to regulate migration, particularly with a view to countering transnational threats such as human trafficking along migration routes. They also noted that migration flows, when not managed in a human rights-compliant, comprehensive and co-ordinated way, have the potential to undermine co-operation, stability, and security.
 
Vladimir Rebić, Serbia’s General Police Director, noted that the response to managing migration flows should be “strong, at national, regional, European and international levels, through mutual assistance and co-operation.” Referring to Serbia’s response, he mentioned the formation of joint forces of the police and the army to protect the country’s borders.
 
Rebić said that another issue the Serbian government had to address was “meeting the needs of a large number of refugees and migrants in an efficient and humane way.”
 
The Serbian government developed in 2015 an action plan in response to an increased influx of refugees and migrants, identifying relevant institutions and organizations, specific tasks, measures and activities to be undertaken, as well as providing necessary resources to address the issue.
 
“I would like to point out that when accommodating vulnerable groups of people such as women and children it is extremely important to ensure that they are adequately taken care of, which implies not only separate rooms for unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable persons, but also paying attention to their special needs,” Rebić said.
 
Today’s discussion echoed the Hamburg Ministerial Council decision on migration adopted in 2016, which states that irregular migration often presents complex challenges and also recognizes the substantial economic and social contribution that migrants and refugees can make for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
 
Brigadier Berthold Hubegger, Head of the International Missions and Operations Unit in Austria’s Interior Ministry, drew conclusions from his country’s experiences. He noted that a massive inflow of migrants can only be managed through a combined effort of all security forces working together with social services in the widest sense. “Only an overall co-ordinated effort can achieve an orderly and efficient response to mass migration that respects both citizens’ concerns and the rights of migrants and their expectation of humane treatment when on the move,” Hubegger said.
 
Domenico Manzione, Undersecretary of State of Italy’s Interior Ministry, highlighted that migration flows, as any issue involving human beings, cannot be considered just as a problem. Migration is rather a phenomenon with opportunities as well as challenges. He also stressed the fact that there is no proven evidence of any link between migration and terrorism.

While referring to what the OSCE can do, Manzione noted the Organization’s valuable work in combating trafficking in human beings and its importance as a platform to share best practices in border security. He also recalled that migration is one of the priorities of next year’s Italian OSCE Chairmanship and the topic of the 2017 OSCE Mediterranean Conference, which will be held in Palermo on 24 and 25 October.