From July 7-8, 2022 the Border Management Programme in Central Asia held a training on diaspora policies and reintegration for Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Migration and the Secretariat of the Migration Council, under the Speaker of the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic.  The training equipped the participants with the knowledge on the successful practices in the aforementioned areas, enabling them to apply the received information in further ameliorating their diaspora policies and the reintegration of returnees for the benefit of the local border regions’ development.

A two-days training session was formulated to support the rapidly-developing diaspora management policies of the Kyrgyz Republic and maximising its benefits for local development of the border regions.  It was focused on the development of effective communication tools with diaspora members abroad and the establishment of  diaspora networks based on best practices from the European Union, the North America and the Middle East. Furthermore, the training touched upon effective approaches to engagement of prominent diaspora members abroad as agents for development of their home country and regions of origin. The reintegration of labour migrants and former diaspora members was discussed in  great detail, to allow for developing comprehensive recommendations within the framework of the training session.

The training session contributes to the specific objectives of the BOMCA 10 Component 4 on improvement of cross-border cooperation for better living conditions in border areas through local economic development focusing on human rights, gender equality and support to vulnerable groups.