Launch of IOM’s and UNHCR’s EU co-funded project to strengthen migration management capacities in Armenia

The official launching event of the project “Strengthening Migration Management Capacities in Support of Government Reform Agenda in Line with CEPA”, implemented jointly by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in cooperation with the Migration Service (MS) of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, was held on 16 February 2022 in Yerevan, Armenia.

The two-year project is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and aims to enhance migration governance in Armenia to foster well-managed and secure cross-border mobility and – in line with the Government's Programme for 2021-2026 – to continue strengthening of migration and asylum systems in Armenia.

The project thereby aims to strengthen migration and asylum systems of the Republic of Armenia by supporting the Government’s efforts towards inclusive, accountable, and effective service delivery. The strengthening of the Government’s capacity-building can be achieved through promoting comprehensive co-operation with the EU on migration and asylum matters and by enhancing the use of EU expertise, resources, and good practices in Armenia.

The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Justice Arpine Sargsyan, Deputy Head of the Police Ara Fidanyan, Head of the Migration Service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Armen Ghazaryan, Deputy Head of Operations of the EU Delegation to Armenia Silja Kasmann, Human Rights Defender elect Kristine Grigoryan, Head of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) Carel Hofstra, Head of the IOM Office Ilona Ter-Minasyan, and UNHCR Officer-in-Charge and Senior Operations Officer Almazbek Burkutov, as well as representatives of state authorities and civil society organizations.

During his opening remarks, the Head of the Migration Service of Armenia, Armen Ghazaryan, stressed the importance of the project, stating։

“Currently we have a decentralized migration management system. A functional centralization will increase the efficiency of the institutional migration system. The project is also important in the context of staff training and digitalization.”

In her turn, the Deputy Head of Operations of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Silja Kasmann, signified the EU support to the improvement of the migration and asylum systems in Armenia.

Highlighting the importance of achieving effective service delivery in the asylum field, UNHCR Representative Anna-Carin Öst stated that “UNHCR will continue to support the efforts of the Government of Armenia in strengthening Armenia’s national policy and legal framework further in line with international standards and ensuring that persons of concern to UNHCR have effective access to fair, efficient and quality asylum procedures.”

The event programme was followed by an active discussion between the attendees. In her closing remarks the Head of Office of IOM Armenia, Ilona Ter-Minasyan, expressed her gratitude to the EU Delegation, Migration Service, UNHCR, and all the parties involved in the development of the project.

She concluded wishing that “the participation of all the stakeholders will contribute to a successful project implementation to ensure more effective and accountable service delivery based on the principles of good governance and respect of rule of law”.