On 12-15 December in Ashgabat a workshop on standards of assistance to vulnerable migrants was conducted. The event served as a forum for governmental stakeholders and European experts to exchange experience and explore the international standards for in providing basic services to vulnerable migrants, including readmission. Over the course of the three-day workshop, government counterparts and BOMCA experts from International Center on Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and State Border Guards of Latvia shared findings and discussed ways to respond to the needs of victims of trafficking  (VoTs) and migrants in accordance with international standards and best practices.

During the workshop, participants were introduced to the concept and mechanism of the national referral system, discussed VoT identification criteria and state standards on identification and referral of VoTs based on the victim-centred approach. The purpose of this event was to provide relevant stakeholders with best practices on counter-trafficking efforts and readmission, and further promote an effective approach in identification and referral of victims of trafficking and other vulnerable groups.

The overall goal of this BOMCA activity is to further develop the legal and procedural instruments and introduce advanced practices to promote cross-border mobility and address the multifaceted challenges caused by mixed migration flows from, though, and to Central Asia. This includes ensuring proper identification of, and protection for, vulnerable migrants, notably labour migrants; promoting advanced local border traffic regimes; and the use of EU guidelines and examples from EU external borders.