ISLAMABAD: Dr. Riina Kionka, Ambassador of the European Union Delegation in Pakistan, underscored the alignment of the “Improving Migration Management in Selected Silk Routes and Central Asian Countries” project with the EU Pact on migration and asylum during the project’s launch by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
The launch of this project coincides with ICMPD’s three-decade journey as a migration management organization, with a steadfast focus on research, policy development, capacity building, and facilitating migration dialogues.
Dr. Kionka emphasized the project’s pivotal role in promoting orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration, all while addressing the root causes of migration and regional displacement crises.
ICMPD’s Director General, Dr. Michael Spindelegger, presented an overview of the project and highlighted Pakistan’s crucial role as a long-term partner for ICMPD. He emphasized the strong strategic cooperation between ICMPD and Pakistan, particularly in areas such as labor migration, skills development, integrated border management, and the fight against irregular migration.
The project is generously funded by the European Union and aims to expand the reach of Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) across Pakistan and in South and West Asia. This expansion has a multi-pronged approach, focusing on strengthening awareness campaigns, delivering timely and accurate information to potential migrants, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of MRCs.
At its core, the project seeks to support migration management and governance, ultimately enhancing the global labor market competitiveness of Pakistanis while simultaneously safeguarding their rights, well-being, and interests.
This ambitious initiative builds upon the lessons learned from previous EU-funded projects and extends its reach to include countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Notably, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a co-implementer, with a particular focus on the anti-trafficking in persons component.
Mr. Jawad Sohrab Malik, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development, addressed the evolving dynamics of migration during the launch event. He emphasized the critical importance of fostering skill partnerships between countries, establishing legal pathways to Europe, and adopting a rights-based approach.
Mr. Malik stressed the significance of aligning education and training systems with labor market demands, both in sending and receiving countries, to ensure that migration remains a mutually beneficial endeavor.
In addition to the PROTECT project, ICMPD actively implements other initiatives in Pakistan, spanning border management, policy development, and capacity building. These collaborative efforts are rooted in a cooperative agreement signed between ICMPD and the government of Pakistan.
The launch event served as a platform for critical discussions surrounding migration and highlighted the shared commitment of ICMPD, the European Union, and Pakistan towards enhancing migration management and governance for the benefit of all stakeholders involved.
