From May 17 to 19, the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10) held a national workshop on preparedness to and prevention of mass influx arrivals of irregular migrants for the representatives of Kyrgyz central offices and regional headquarters of departments responsible for developing plans for interaction, coordinating and managing departments during emergencies.

This programme activity aimed to share European Union Member States experience in area of management of mass influx of irregular migrants mixed migration flows.

Experts from the State Border Guard Service of Lithuania, State Border Guard of Latvia and UNHCR introduced the definition and types of emergency/crisis situations; subordination, cooperation among institutions and referral mechanisms and contingency planning for critical periods of migration flows. In addition, participants familiarised with international treaties and conventions stipulating the standards, including human rights with particular focus on vulnerable groups.

Furthermore, participants discussed the current situation particular in Kyrgyzstan and in the CA region related to existing cooperation mechanisms at local level for better coordination in case of mass influx of migrants and / or refugees caused by social, political, economic and environmental reasons, natural disaster, man-made disaster, economic migration or other global unexpected factors.

This workshop was organised in the framework of the Programme’s Component 1, “Institutional Development of Border Control Agencies”, and aims to further develop and strengthen the institutional capacities of border control agencies in CA countries to achieve international standards and best practices in ensuring national, regional and global security.