Press release by the UN Network on Migration in Belarus.
On 11 April 2023, the third expanded meeting of the United Nations Network on Migration (Network) in Belarus was held in Minsk, the capital city, under the leadership of the United Nations Resident Coordinator and the International Organization for Migration. To ensure a platform for coordination and discussion of migration-related issues in Belarus, the Network was established in Belarus in 2020 to support the country in implementing, following up and reviewing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).
The meeting gathered participants from various government institutions, international and local organizations, migration experts and UN agency representatives. The purpose was to share the findings of the Voluntary National Review of GCM implementation in Belarus and discuss current priorities, including evidence-based policy through reliable migration data and looking at possible solutions for regular pathways and protection of migrants in irregular situations.
Joanna Kazana-Wisniowiecki, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Belarus and co-chair of the Network in the country stressed the official commitment of the country to achieve the objectives of the GCM, which aims to facilitate and manage migration processes in the interests of migrants themselves, their communities and states - both receiving and countries of origin.
“As world experience shows, evidence-based migration policy management brings more benefits than problems, both to host countries and their countries of origin: it solves the problem of labor shortages, promotes interaction between people in the cultural, economic and social fields as well as addresses long-term issues.”
Participants highlighted areas where more could be done with better access to migration data and a functioning referral system for regular and irregular migrants. The participants also discussed the status of migration policy, current trends and areas where international cooperation and new solutions are needed.
Ms. Mahym Orazmuhammedova, Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration in Belarus, stressed the linkages between migration and development and the importance of effective migration management, including using migration governance indicators or migration referral systems. She stressed the readiness of the Network to support Belarus in reaching the objectives of the GCM and, consequently, maximizing the potential positive impact of migration on local development.
*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of United Nations Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).