From 1-3 February this year, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia, in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency and the International Organization for Migration, held a national workshop on international standards on the identification, detention and return of irregular migrants. Representatives of the Migration Council Secretariat under the Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament, the Foreign Ministry’s Department of External Migration, the Internal Affairs Ministry’s Service for Countering Extremism and Illegal Migration, the State Committee for National Security’s Border Guard Service, and the Ministry of Labour’s Department of Migration took part.

The workshop was aimed at sharing international experience and best European practices regarding the detention and accommodation of migrants, and their forced return, with BOMCA beneficiaries. Particular attention was paid to the improvement of legislation on migrant return. Experts provided detailed information on methods and procedures to identify irregular migrants and ensure their effective return. 

Experts from the border guard services of Latvia and Lithuania, the UNHCR in Kyrgyzstan, and the International Organization for Migration were engaged as trainers for the workshop. 

During the event, the participants, supported by the experts, analysed national legislation in comparison to international standards and discussed their findings. Special attention was paid to cooperation between institutions responsible for migrant issues, as well as international and non-governmental organisations. Information was also provided on the standards applicable to immigration detention centres (specialised centres) and the treatment safeguards to be provided to migrants detained there.