CSTO and the International Organization for Migration Mission will strengthen cooperation

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CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas met with the International Organization for Migration Moscow Chief of Mission Abdusattor Esoev to discuss the migration situation in the area of responsibility of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

According to the press service of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Stanislav Zas informed the IOM representative about the migration situation in the CSTO area of responsibility and the measures taken within the Organization to counter illegal migration. The CSTO Secretary General reminded of the urgent need to increase efforts of the entire international community in the interests of global migration security.

Mr Zas noted the importance of strengthening the cooperation in combating illegal migration with relevant international organizations, in particular with the IOM, recalling that the CSTO states have ratified the provisions on the status of Observer and Partner to the Organization, formalizing the order of obtaining these statuses in case of interest of any state or international organization.

The CSTO Secretary General informed the IOM Chief of Mission about the results of the international operation Nelegal (“Illegal person”), conducted annually since 2008. “Joint efforts of law enforcement bodies during 25 active stages of this operation have revealed more than 1,5 million violations of the migration legislation; more than 13 thousand criminal cases regarding the organization of illegal migration and 562 criminal cases regarding human trafficking were opened. About USD 90 million worth of fines were imposed.”

Stanislav Zas stressed that the analysis of information received by the CSTO Secretariat from law enforcement bodies of the CSTO Member States shows that at the moment the overall migration situation remains stable and under control.

“At the same time, it should be noted that in the CSTO area of responsibility there are migration flows from countries with unstable internal political situation and difficult economic situation, from countries of South-East Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, the Near and Middle East, which mainly pass through Central Asian states to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Due to their geographical location, they are transit countries for illegal migrants who aim to ultimately reach the countries of the European Union,” said the CSTO Secretary General.

Mr Zas stressed that the development of a collective system of combating illegal migration within the CSTO is regularly discussed at the Collective Security Council sessions and at the meetings of the Organization’s statutory bodies.

In turn, Abdusattor Esoev noted that the IOM attaches great importance to expanding cooperation with the CSTO, partially due to the fact that all of the Organization’s states are members of the International Organization for Migration. In autumn 2020, the Russian Federation joined the IOM, becoming its 174th member state.

He noted with satisfaction that the IOM Moscow Mission is honoured to present, together with the CSTO Secretariat, a comprehensive comparative legal analysis of the CSTO Member States’ legislation in the area of combating illegal migration and human trafficking.

In conclusion, both parties expressed satisfaction with the development of cooperation between the CSTO and IOM and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

IOM, the International Organization for Migration, established in 1951, is the leading intergovernmental institution in the area of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.

On July 26, 2006, the CSTO Secretariat and the IOM Administration signed a Protocol on Cooperation.