Azerbaijan, International Organization for Migration discuss bilateral cooperation

Baku, November 28, AZERTAC Chief of Azerbaijan`s State Migration Service Firudin Nabiyev, who is on a visit to Geneva to participate in the 108th Session of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Council, has met with Director General of IOM William Lacy Swing to discuss cooperation between the country and the organization. Swing praised Azerbaijan’s openness to new projects and initiatives in the context of expanding cooperation with the organization, as well as participation of high level delegations on behalf of the Republic of Azerbaijan in various international events by IOM. They both applauded the signing of “Cooperation Agreement on Pilot Project on Assistance for the Voluntary Return of Migrants from Azerbaijan” within 107th Session of IOM Council on December 8 last year, describing it as an evident example of the cooperation between Azerbaijan and IOM. Recalling Swing’s meeting with President Ilham Aliyev in Azerbaijan in 2015, they mentioned that this kind of bilateral meetings give an impetus to the cooperation between Azerbaijan and IOM. Chief of State Migration Service Nabiyev underlined the worldwide relevance of IOM’s officially joining to the UN family in September, 2016 and “The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants” which was then adopted by the UN General Assembly to enhance attempts by international community in the management of ongoing refugee and migrant flows in the world. He noted that Azerbaijan supports the resolution as well as subsequent steps towards adoption of global compacts for refugees and safe, orderly and regular migration. The service chief recalled the problems of more than one million people who became forced migrants as a result of occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories by Armenia and the Azerbaijani government`s efforts to address these problems. Nabiyev said that Azerbaijan has become a target country for a number of migrants from third countries owing to rapid economic development, political stability, tolerance and multiculturalism atmosphere existing in the country. “Therefore, our country pursues an active migration policy in order to influence migration processes occurring in the region, control and regulate migrant flows to the territory of the country.” He also emphasized the ongoing “Consolidation of migration and border management capacities in Azerbaijan” project (2014-2017), describing it as a successful cooperation with the IOM. IOM Director General Swing welcomed stability and progressive model for migration management established in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, as well as importance attached to multicultural values in the country.