Kazakhstan provides assistance to migrants in the context of the pandemic

On June 17 the International Organization for Migration held a webinar on the protection of migrants in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was attended by approximately 300 representatives of 90 UN member-states, international organizations and civil society.

The purpose of the event was to exchange experience in providing assistance to migrants in the framework of measures implemented by governments to stabilize the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the beginning of the webinar the Director General of the International Organization for Migration A.Vitorino stressed the importance of this issue in the global fight against coronavirus. He noted that in the context of the pandemic, the level of mobility of people around the world has fallen sharply. Then the representatives of Nigeria, France, Kazakhstan, Zimbabwe and Egypt made their statements.

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva Zhanar Aitzhanova in her speech underlined measures implemented by Kazakhstan in support of migrants, including the development of rules of stay for foreigners in times of emergency and quarantine, extension of visas for migrants, providing them with humanitarian assistance and opportunity for 500 Kyrgyz migrants and several hundred citizens of Uzbekistan to cross the state border.

She emphasized as a result of the successful interaction of the ministries of foreign affairs of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan a transit corridor for    243 migrants was provided.

In conclusion, Permanent Representative Zh.Aitzhanova reiterated that Kazakhstan will continue to provide assistance to migrants in the current difficult epidemiological situation in the world.